The “satanic panic” of the 1980s was a moral panic that swept across the United States, fueled by claims of Satanic ritual abuse (SRA) in daycare centers and schools. The panic was rooted in a belief that a widespread network of Satanists was secretly molesting and sacrificing children in their rituals. This belief was largely fueled by a combination of factors, including sensationalized media coverage, hoaxes, and false allegations made under duress during interrogations.
While heavy metal and rock music were often blamed for promoting Satanism, the panic was not solely about music. The panic was part of a larger cultural shift in the late 20th century, marked by anxieties about the erosion of traditional family values, crime, and the increasing influence of “anti-Christian” subcultures such as punk and heavy metal. Heavy metal and rock music were often blamed for promoting Satanism and violence, and were seen as corrupting the youth. This led to calls for censorship, and music that was deemed “satanic” was banned from stores, radio stations, and concerts.
One of the most notable events that contributed to the panic was the publication of the book “Michelle Remembers” in 1980. The book, written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder, claimed to be a true account of a patient who had recovered memories of being abused by a Satanic cult as a child. The book was widely discredited, but it nonetheless served as a catalyst for the panic, inspiring similar claims of SRA across the country.
Several highly publicized cases of SRA further fueled the panic, including the McMartin preschool trial and the Kelly Michaels trial. In these cases, daycare workers were accused of molesting and sacrificing children in Satanic rituals. The trials were marked by widespread media coverage, and many of the allegations were later found to be false, the result of suggestive interviews with young children and coerced testimony.
Despite the lack of evidence for widespread SRA, the panic persisted for several years, leading to widespread fear and mistrust of daycare centers, schools, and even families. The panic also had a lasting impact on the criminal justice system, with many people convicted on the basis of false or unreliable testimony, and with many others falsely accused and subjected to public ridicule and persecution.
The “satanic panic” of the 1980s ultimately subsided in the late 1990s, as the public became increasingly skeptical of the claims of SRA, and as evidence mounted that the allegations were false. However, the legacy of the panic continues to influence popular culture, with many people still harboring fears of Satanism and the occult.
Sources:
- Goode, E., & Ben-Yehuda, N. (1994). Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Nathan, D., & Snedeker, M. (1995). Satan’s Silence: Ritual Abuse and the Making of a Modern American Witch Hunt. Basic Books.
- Victor, J. S. (1993). Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend. Open Court Publishing.
