Page Content (OCR)
state than to actual events. Hopkins him-self admits the incredible nature of the stories and the unbelievability of what the abductees report. Yet, the abduction events reported by Kathy Davis fit into a clear and repeated pattern reported by tens of thousands of alleged contactees within the last four decades. In the last four decades, research into alleged alien abductions has been undertaken by a small number of scientists, physicians, and historians, as well as military and government personnel. Two of the most prominent researchers—David Jacobs, Ph.D., in Secret Life,\"7 and John Mack, in Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens,''’—point out that while the details of individual encounters differ, nearly four decades of research 1 1 ee Ce en som aa Information about abductions comes primarily from two sources: spontaneous recollection and hypnotic regression. According to researchers, about a third of the people who report an abduction experience remember large portions of the event spontaneously. The remaining two thirds require some form of relaxation therapy or hypnotic regression to recall the events. Although no one really knows the number of alleged abductees, numerous researchers estimate that the number may be in the tens of millions worldwide. In his book, Secret Life, Jacobs made an extensive study of the magnitude of the abduction phenomenon. In an unpublished survey he conducted of more than 1,200 students at Temple University, he found that 5.5 percent of the students responded to the questionnaire in a way that indicated that they had potentially experienced abduction events. Mack drew similar conclusions in Abduction, estimating the number in the hundreds of thousands in the United States alone. Whitley Strieber, author of the bestseller Communion, claimed that he received nearly 300,000 letters by individuals who have had abduction experiences." Abductions typically begin when the victim is either driving late at night or asleep in bed. Individuals driving will report seeing strange lights in the sky or a frank UFO sighting. Many people report feeling a sensation that draws them toward the UFO landing site. There is generally a "blackout" at that point, requiring hypnotic regression to obtain the subsequent events from at least two thirds of the contactees. Spontaneous recall of being taken aboard an alleged UFO is quite rare. Abductees usually report several hours of "missing time." In many cases UFO sightings have been reported by independent witnesses in the same area at the time of a nearby abduction event. In his book Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens, John Mack emphasizes this point as one of the significant proofs for the veracity of abduction events. Abductees who are taken from their rooms usually describe a bright light outside and a humming noise. This is followed by an encounter with hairless, three- to five-foot tall, gray-skinned entities. Abductees generally report the onset of paralysis and a floating sensation. Many will report being subsequently floated out of their house either through a window or in some cases through the walls or through the roof to an awaiting alien craft. Once inside the craft, abductees universally report some sort of a physical examination. Generally they report a white room reminiscent of an operating-room-like environment. Once in the examination room, abductees typically report contact with the same gray- 65 THE "TYPICAL" ABDUCTION SCENARIO has brought to light a "typical" abduction scenario.