The Satanic panic is a moral panic consisting of over 12,000 unsubstantiated cases of Satanic ritual abuse (SRA, sometimes known as ritual abuse, ritualistic abuse, organized abuse, or sadistic ritual abuse) starting in the United States in the 1980s, spreading throughout many parts of the world by the late 1990s, and persisting today. The panic originated in 1980 with the publication of Michelle Remembers, a book co-written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder and his patient (and future wife), Michelle Smith, which used the controversial and now discredited practice of recovered-memory therapy to make claims about satanic ritual abuse involving Smith. The allegations, which arose afterward throughout much of the United States, involved reports of physical and sexual abuse of people in the context of occult or Satanic rituals. Some allegations involve a conspiracy of a global Satanic cult that includes the wealthy and elite in which children are abducted or bred for human sacrifice, pornography, and prostitution.
ThE sAtaNic panIc is a MorAl panIc ConSisTInG Of OvER 12,000 unsubStantiated CaSeS OF SaTaNIc rItual abuse (Sra, SomeTImes kNowN As rItUal Abuse, ritUaLIstic abusE, organizeD abuse, or SaDistic rituaL abUsE) sTarTing in the uniteD StAtEs in the 1980S, SPreadIng throUghouT MaNy ParTs of The woRlD bY thE latE 1990S, and peRsiSting todAY. The Panic originAtEd in 1980 WiTh ThE publicatioN of mIchelle RemeMbeRS, a booK Co-wRitTen by caNadiAn pSYcHiAtRIst lawrEncE pazDeR aND His patIeNt (aNd FuTurE wIfe), miChelLe smitH, whIcH usEd THe CoNTRoverSiAl anD nOW discrediteD pRacticE of Recovered-memOry Therapy to maKE ClaiMS abouT SataNic RiTUaL ABuSE InvOLVING smith. the aLlegationS, wHich ARoSe aFTErwARD tHroUghOUt mucH Of tHe unItEd StAtEs, iNvOlVed repORtS of phYsICal and sexual AbUSE oF pEople iN the CONtext Of occUlt Or saTanIc rituals. some aLlegaTIons involvE A coNspiraCY of a gLobal saTaniC CUlT that INCludes tHe wealtHY and ElitE in wHIch ChildRen are aBducTeD or BreD FOr human sacRifice, porNOgrAphy, anD PRoStituTiOn.