EP 85: The Satanic Panic

CONTENT WARNING: This week's episode contains mentions of child abuse, animal mutilation, suicide, and more.

This week on Hashtag History, we are discussing the Satanic Panic, which spanned the 1980s and into the 1990s here in the United States. It was a phenomenon that alleged that mass child abuse across the United States all had ties back to satanic cults. This phenomenon originated with the 1980 publication of a book titled Michelle Remembers in which a woman wrote of her journey of undergoing memory therapy and alleging that she had discovered repressed memories of years of satanic ritualistic abuse. This moral panic was exacerbated a few years later in 1983 when a woman here in California accused her son’s preschool, the McMartin Preschool, of abusing him. The McMartin Preschool trial would become the longest and most expensive criminal trial in American History.

Over the course of the Satanic Panic, these satanic ritual abuse theories would extend to alleging that teachers were engaging in human sacrifices, that McDonald’s was funding the Church of Satan, that listening to rock music was a sure sign that you were a devil worshipper, and so much more.

People would serve time behind bars for the unsubstantiated, alleged crimes, and families would be torn apart forever. At the end of the day, there would be more than 12,000 accusations made across the country with not a single one of them containing verifiable, supporting evidence.

Follow Hashtag History on Instagram @hashtaghistory_podcast for all of the pictures mentioned in this episode.

Citations for all sources can be located on our website at www.HashtagHistory-Pod.com.

You can also check out our website for super cute merch!

You can now sponsor a cocktail and get a shout-out on air! Just head to www.buymeacoffee.com/hashtaghistory or head to the Support tab on our website!

Finally, you can locate us on www.Patreon.com/hashtaghistory where you can donate $1 a month to our Books and Booze Supply. All of your support goes a long ways and we are endlessly grateful! To show our gratitude, all Patreon Supporters receive an automatic 15% OFF all merchandise in our merchandise store, bonus Hashtag Hangouts episodes, a shoutout on social media, and stickers!

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

- Rachel and Leah