Introduction
In an interview, not too long ago, David Jacobs insisted that the amount of alien abductions has been increasing over the years. His explanation is simple: with each new generation, there are additional abductees. Then, a short while ago, I was having a conversation with another researcher who claimed abductions had virtually come to an end. Which I thought was a bold statement to make. And I remembered Whitley Strieber once mentioning that they happen in flaps: there are periods of heightened as well as periods of lower activity.
That poses an interesting question: have alien abductions been increasing or decreasing over time? I posed the question to some other researchers, and their views largely diverged. Most seemed to think that they had either decreased or remained the same over time.
I also presented the question to the members of our panel, and they came with some revealing insights. A first is that we have to make a distinction between the number of abductees and the number of incidents. It is perfectly possible that with each generation the overall number of all abductees increases, while the number of incidents remains stable: instead of the parents being abducted, it is now their offspring.
A second insight is that we can only know what is happening if people keep on reporting their experiences. And things can easily go wrong there: the lack of the availability of a local platform to report to may be an obstacle. Even rephrasing the questions or asking for additional, more private information, can scare people away.
At present, we don’t really have enough reliable data to make any clear assessments. But with the information we have, it seems that the overall number of abductees has grown while the overall number of incidents has remained stable.
Here are the replies of our panel members, in the sequence we received them:
- John Carpenter, Are Abductions Happening as Often?
- Nadine Lalich, Alien Abduction: Is it increasing?
- Thomas Minderlé
- Denise Stoner
- Bill Konkolesky, The Generational Aspect
Manuel Lamiroy.
*
John Carpenter - Are Abductions Happening as Often?
When asking whether UFO abductions are happening as frequently as in the past decades, the real question should be, “Are UFO abductions being reported as often?” This is a reporting phenomenon first and foremost. Let me explain. To have any reasonable assessment of the frequency of UFO abductions, one must have a reliable and easily accessible reporting system – everywhere – which is unlikely. Because alien abductions are a very private, often disturbing, and disbelieved phenomenon, very few people are comfortable with sharing their events. They fear they will be labeled crazy and shunned or get unwanted publicity with a potential for even greater ridicule. They may doubt their own sanity and suppress the unusual events. Even with a greater awareness and better acceptance these days, it is still very personal and not easy to report. Besides, who can you be certain that you can trust?
When I joined MUFON in 1988 and became a State Section Director for four counties around Springfield, Missouri, as well as a Research Specialist in Psychology and Hypnosis, there was no known activity or reported cases in the area. Southwest Missouri seemed like a “dead spot” on the UFO map. But as I slowly became visible to the public through TV spots and newspaper articles, some residents began making contact with me. Some referrals came from Budd Hopkins in New York City and Linda Moulton Howe in Pennsylvania because a few local people had written to them, not knowing of anybody in SW Missouri to talk with. As word spread, abduction cases started flowing toward me – cases from 5, 15, 20, even 40 years ago – that had remained hidden without anyone to report to. Suddenly, this area felt like a hotbed of activity with a wave of UFO sightings and cattle mutilations occurring in 1992 – ONLY because there was now a system in place to report them to! But, most of the reports were NOT from present activity but from past experiences held in until now.
As reporting systems around the country come and go in terms of their effectiveness, changing personnel, and public awareness, so will the frequency of UFO abductions seem to fluctuate. So, you must consider that any change in the frequency of abductions is probably just reflecting changes in the reporting of them. There is also so much more helpful information now, on-line, on cable TV, DVDs, and other sources that was NOT available decades ago. So, will the abductees even reach out now to officially report their experiences? Maybe not.
My personal opinion is that UFO abductions have always been occurring at a steady rate, even before Betty and Barney Hill in 1961. I have a few cases that pre-date them. If you go back a century, you probably called them the little people – like elves, faeries, and leprechauns, who were known for stealing people and children away for a period of time. History is full of such legends around the world with similar scenarios. Even biblical times describe “glowing discs” and “flaming shields” in the skies as ancient forms of UFOs. I had a chance to meet with Apollo 14 astronaut, the late Edgar Mitchell, on one occasion and share thoughts. He asked me if I thought faeries and leprechauns might have been a historical form of UFO aliens, and I said, “Yes.” Then he smiled a knowing smile and replied, “You’re on the right track.”
John Carpenter, MSW, LCSW
Former Director of Abduction Research for MUFON, 1991--2000
*
Nadine Lalich - Alien Abduction: Is it increasing?
The phenomenon of alien abduction has been a major focus in my life beginning with my first conscious experience in 1991. During that event, I was removed in a fully-awake state from my vehicle by what appeared to be non-human entities. That dramatic, unforeseen event ushered in prolific conscious experiences that have continued for nearly 30 years. To my added surprise, I would learn along the way that these contacts actually began in my childhood and they also involved other family members.
From a Personal Point of View: In reviewing nearly three decades of conscious contact, it is clear that the first ten years subsequent to the 1991 event, while I was in my late thirties and forties, the experiences were at their peak of three or more per week. That period involved a major focus on physical examinations, especially reproductive organs, and exposure to alleged hybrid children. During the following five years the reproductive procedures continued, but the contacts included more diverse psychological and emotional testing and analyzing, training with strange devices, apocalyptic predictions for the planet, and exposure to a greater variety of non-human entities. Also, during this period of time, a sudden military presence began to appear, sometimes separately and sometimes in collaboration with ET races.
By the time menopause arrived there was a complete cessation of physical examinations related to reproduction, a fact I feel is quite significant. Now the contacts lessened to three or four times per month. Those experiences included exposure to different types of crafts, more unusual ET species, underwater and underground bases, and an even greater military presence. Training and intense observation by ETs as well as military humans became more common.
The past eight years has been a much less active period of contact, sometimes with as much as six months between experiences. When they do occur, their agenda feels more urgent and appears more specifically related to instruction and training about the earth and future disasters. Furthermore, while implying there will be an open arrival of extraterrestrials, there is repeated rehearsal of an alleged role I am to play in their support.
From a General Point of View: Although I have read about other cases, I have not personally conducted an analysis related to contact patterns, and can only offer my opinion. As David Jacobs suggested, I do believe that new generations of people become abductees and older abductees may continue to experience contact throughout their entire life. Considering the familial and genetic component of abduction, fluctuating birth and death rates, and the unpredictable numbers of people willing to come forward, it would seem difficult to ascertain a true number of worldwide contacts taking place at any given time. Certainly, it is well documented that our evolution to the use of nuclear power brought us to the attention of off-world intelligences, resulting in the UFO and alien abduction phenomenon we know it today. Whatever the current figure may be, the greatest number of contacts most probably take place during the reproductive phase of an abductee’s life.
As Whitley Strieber stated, I also believe abductions occur in cycles, but those cycles of interaction would be difficult to verify due to an undeterminable number of unknown factors. For example, which ET race is conducting the abduction, and what is their agenda? Who is the abductee, what is their skill set and their genetic heritage? What is the timeframe of the abduction, and are there important events taking place concurrently on earth and/or off-planet that we may or may not know of? Ultimately, regardless of the number of worldwide contacts now taking place, any intelligent, rational-minded person with even a limited knowledge of the UFO and ET abduction phenomenon would acknowledge the probability that contact has and continues to take place across the globe.
*
Thomas Minderlé - Are Abductions Increasing or Decreasing?
According to the National UFO Reporting Center, global sightings were on the increase from 1990 to 2014, reaching a peak at nearly 9,000 events in 2014. But then sightings plummeted over the past five years to 1/3rd of that value.
Google Trends is a useful resource for graphing the search popularity of certain key words or phrases over the years. The phrase “alien abduction” has been declining steadily since 2014-2015. “UFOs” since 2009. “Grey aliens” since 2014. This parallels the drop in global UFO sightings since 2014.
Similarly, searching my email inbox for the terms “abduction” and “abducted” pulls up 1348 messages sent to me since 2002, and in comparing the number of emails between years, the trend line closely follows the National UFO Reporting Center graph.
Likewise, internet message boards dealing with UFOs and alien abductions used to be more active throughout 2004-2012 but participation has waned since that time. Same can be said for blogs, books, and radio shows about this topic.
At minimum we can say that interest in the subject has been dropping off. I think it’s likely that alien abduction activity has decreased along with that as well.
In my own life, I have reason to believe abductions still happen occasionally, but not to the severity or frequency they did a decade ago. And global sightings are still being reported, but just not like they used to be.
So it’s not that aliens have left the planet, but perhaps they scaled back operations.
Why? There are probably things going on behind the scenes that we may never know about: wars and shifts in power, re-negotiation of contracts, diplomatic failures and breakthroughs, forged alliances, shifting of resources, change in strategy, etc. Any of these can influence what happens here on the ground in terms of the degree of alien involvement in our lives.
It’s also possible that whatever they were doing with abductions, such as breeding hybrids, is now finished and the products are being “deployed in the field” or “awaiting deployment” pending some alien disclosure or global cataclysmic event. Could this be the calm before the storm? We’ll find out soon.
*
Denise Stoner
I have been asked to comment on whether or not I feel abductions and reports of them are on the downswing at this time. I am a member of MUFON and also a part of the ERT Team or Experiencers Research Team. Abduction cases are also referred to me from many organizations along with individuals who find me on line. Some attend my local meetings that are advertised on our local Meet Up Site or attend my private abductee meetings open only to those who have had an experience with an ET and craft. Also I was co-author of The Alien Abduction Files with Kathleen Marden and readers often contact both of us after reading our book. Kathleen and I shared over 100 radio shows during the year prior to 2013 when our book was published. I have spoken around the country and meet people claiming to be abductees during my travels and have an opportunity to speak personally with many of them.
First, so many others who have opposite thoughts on this may have done their research in a whole different arena. Their results and therefore their ideas on the situation could understandably be far afield from what I am going to say. The reader of this article must take this into consideration then decide what best fits their situation. I don’t think any one of us is totally wrong. There is so very much to address regarding this matter.
Having made the above statements, I feel I can give my thoughts on what the facts might be as we move forward into the future when it comes to actual abductions, visits to crafts, medical exams, implants, fertilization of human females, and so on.
My time was short to put this article together so I don’t have figures to give although I feel the information is enough here to help those who are looking for some answers. I asked Dr. George Medich, our Assistant Director of the ERT MUFON for an accurate count on our monthly Questionnaire filled out and turned in by possible experiencers, to be assigned, and then scored by a team member. The member assigned to each questionnaire will contact the individual who filled out their form. Dr. Medich found we were receiving an average of 110 forms per month for the past 2 years perhaps longer. We were all kept busy.
A few months ago, a change was made in the protocol. Our questionnaire was linked to another form that asked for more personal information from the individual filling out the questionnaire. There was an immediate drop in our stats to the extent that they almost totally bottomed out. Once we figured out the possible cause of such a lack of response, a change was made and the stats have now returned to 100 thus far for the month of August and is expected to continue to climb back to its normal figure or higher.
I mentioned this to show that there is still a strong need in the majority of individuals to protect his/her confidentiality/anonymity. Therefore the smallest hint that something covert may be going on will severe the ties and any opportunities of having a trusting relationship. Beginning with trust when opening an investigation as this first impression can bless the lives of both the experiencer and the investigator. This remains a delicate balance for quite some time and works both ways. The investigator looks for evidence that they have a credible witness’ then in turn the witness must gain trust in the investigator having faith that their “crazy story” actually occurred.
I have driven off course a bit but what I have written has much to do with my decision on the count of abductions today versus years ago. I believe that many of the cases coming forward were those of the baby boomers. It has taken time for their retirement years to become a part of their decision process along with family and more. The struggle to report abductions to ships, exams on tables, implants, marks on bodies, disappearing pregnancies, visits with hybrid children that might belong to them, all play a part in the silent research people do in an attempt to learn the truth prior to deciding they will “come out” in the open. Careers as doctors, lawyers, federal workers, policeman, possibly even someone who protected a US President adds a fear factor that has held the choice back for years. Now at the age of 71 or 72, they will be told they have dementia or worse if they wait that long to disclose their information. Some have come forward sooner and had to brace for attack by their friends, family, and co-workers. This age group is the bravest to speak up with this horrific life changing event. I don’t have the figures and wish I did. They are still “coming out” requesting support but the numbers are lower now. I am one of those who sought help quietly in the beginning then found a person who not only listened but taught me to use my story to educate others, speak out regarding my experience, and support those who were just opening the door a small crack allowing their own events to slip out to the public. That person is Kathleen Marden. She was my person to trust and learn from so I could repeat the process then in turn hopefully to support others in their journey.
How do we gather accurate facts back to our grandparents, and parents then add our own documentation plus the children in our lives? I’m afraid much of the back history is lost unless some of it was told and written down at the time. All we can do is move forward from today. Keep better records, be willing to do our homework until we have more clear-cut answers as this will all be important to the accuracy of future stats.
I feel we are still being taken but for different reasons with newer methods being used. Perhaps we are not taken bodily, perhaps our consciousness is borrowed for a time. We are evolving as our visitors are. I believe the field has narrowed and not so many of us are needed. So, in that way, not so many are being abducted. The stories have shifted that I receive to a deeper more – free from the body – experience. We recall a dream state with memories of a craft, entities, etc. More are recalling the feeling that they left their body and visited a craft, another world, entities, but also traveled there at speeds they were not able to describe. It took only minutes to reach the new planet. They recall what they feel are “downloads” of information they did not know prior to the experience nor did they learn it in any earthly school.
I feel that DNA is possibly involved and shared between the species. I wonder if there are hybrids here on earth and also on the crafts moving through our universe. Do we meet only in out of body settings now? Very few of the original experiencers that I speak to are “taken” or called to the ship as in years past. In this sense, the abductions have slowed down. Those from the “boomer” days who are going to speak up have done so most likely with the exception of a few who are still holding back. This makes it even more confusing and complicated for us to sort out and understand. So on one side of the column – Baby Boomers – yes cases have slowed down and on the other side new “travels” have begun with new generations and the rate has yet to be determined. What is the difference between the visitors in the face of these changes and a paranormal “spirit” visitation? Hmmm… We can leave that for another time.
So many different opinions. So much research to do. As an experiencer since age 2 ½ I must continue to devote my time supporting others, learning from the best like my friend and mentor Kathleen Marden, and hopefully we will arrive at one amazing truth in the end of this great journey.
*
Bill Konkolesky - The Generational Aspect
The abduction phenomenon continues to demonstrate that it is an inherited generational phenomenon.
Amongst the experiencers I’ve known for several decades, the abduction phenomenon has curiously slowed dramatically throughout the group, and in the case of many individuals, completely stopped. Though, for several of this group, encounters have started and stepped-up for their children, even grandchildren.
A couple from this group, who are both experiencers, are encountering this very situation. For the man, the phenomenon runs in the mother’s side of the family and, for the woman, it runs in her father’s side.
The couple has two children, both still under the age of ten, both of whom have had contact experiences, despite the parents doing their best to shield their children from any of their own accounts or those from the extended family.
For their daughter, her first experience was at age three, when she claimed an object which she could not relate to anything she knew, hovered in the sky outside her bedroom window and then a small, bald, “monster” came into her room and communicated something unknown to her in a way she didn’t understand. This terrified her and she was unable to sleep alone for some time.
For their son, his first experience was at age four when he spotted a “chandelier” in the sky out his bedroom window. He claimed that “little doctors” then brought him into a “strange city” where they did “bad things” to him.
Both children insisted their experiences were very real and not dreams.
Although no longer having direct experiences, the father is still able to sometimes sense the entity’s presence in and around the home.
One night when he felt their presence as he was headed off to bed, the father telepathically asked them why they no longer take him or his wife, only their children.
The reply was, “As your kind gets older, you become of many minds and it becomes difficult to synchronize with you. You are now fractured.”
My interpretation of this, if accurate, is that we are more cognitively whole and, therefore, more valued, when we are young. As our lives and thought patterns become more complicated with age, we get lost in a labyrinth of our own minds that sullies the purity of contact with them.
Cue the next generation.