Satanic Panic
The Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 1990s saw a wave of moral panic in the United States, created and spread by conservatives and christians.
The panic itself was based on the belief that Satanic cults were infiltrating the country, engaging in ritual sacrifice, and recruiting children and teenagers into their ranks. The fear and paranoia caused by this movement was so intense that it resulted in a number of wrongful convictions and prosecutions, as well as public hysteria and the formation of (often) ineffective legislative or public policy responses.
Although the original Satanic Panic has largely died down, many of the dangers associated with it still exist today. Not only do right wing extremist views continue to be spread, but much of the fear and misunderstanding of certain religious or cultural beliefs can still cause their adherents to be labeled as “Satanists” or somehow morally questionable. In the last couple of years the "satanist" label has been replaced with the accusation of being a "groomer".
Ultimately, the dangers posed by the original Satanic Panic still exist today in new ways, and it is more important than ever to guard against fear-based decision-making which promotes intolerance and prejudice.
The panic itself was based on the belief that Satanic cults were infiltrating the country, engaging in ritual sacrifice, and recruiting children and teenagers into their ranks. The fear and paranoia caused by this movement was so intense that it resulted in a number of wrongful convictions and prosecutions, as well as public hysteria and the formation of (often) ineffective legislative or public policy responses.
Although the original Satanic Panic has largely died down, many of the dangers associated with it still exist today. Not only do right wing extremist views continue to be spread, but much of the fear and misunderstanding of certain religious or cultural beliefs can still cause their adherents to be labeled as “Satanists” or somehow morally questionable. In the last couple of years the "satanist" label has been replaced with the accusation of being a "groomer".
Ultimately, the dangers posed by the original Satanic Panic still exist today in new ways, and it is more important than ever to guard against fear-based decision-making which promotes intolerance and prejudice.
