720 ILCS 5/12-33 – Ritualized Abuse of a Child

720 ILCS 5/12-33 – Ritualized Abuse of a Child

This law makes it a serious crime to harm or scare a child during a ritual, ceremony, or similar event.

This Illinois law says it’s illegal to do cruel, harmful, or frightening acts to a child as part of any ritual or ceremony. People who break this law can face serious felony charges and long prison sentences.

(a) Someone commits ritualized abuse of a child if they knowingly do any of the following during a ceremony or ritual involving a child:

1. Torture, injure, or kill an animal or person, whether real or acted out.
2. Force a child to take or be given a drug, chemical, or substance that makes them less aware or able to resist a crime.
3. Force a child to eat, drink, or have contact with human or animal waste, blood, flesh, body parts, or other harmful materials.
4. Make a child take part in a pretend or illegal marriage to someone or something, followed by sexual contact.
5. Put a living child in a coffin or grave with a real human body or remains.
6. Threaten to kill or hurt the child, their family, pets, or friends in a way that seriously scares the child.
7. Illegally cut up, damage, or burn a human body.

(b) This law does not apply to:

1. Legal farming, food, or hunting activities, including marking livestock.
2. Legal medical circumcision or related ceremonies.
3. Government-approved or funded research projects.
4. Eating animal meat or blood as part of a religious ceremony.

(b-5) For this law, the word “child” means anyone under 18 years old.

(c) Sentence: A first offense is a Class 1 felony. If the person is convicted again, it becomes a Class X felony. Adults can face life in prison for repeat offenses, while minors are sentenced under special juvenile sentencing rules.

(d) (Blank.)

View the full statute here.

Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Southern Illinois criminal defense lawyer.