Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend

by Jeffrey S. Victor

Book Overview

"Sociologist Victor began his involvement with satanic-cult phenomena by investigating a local panic centered in southwestern New York state. After an introductory section, his book begins with a description of this research, then proceeds with an excellent general review of recent fear about satanic cults in the U.S. He concludes that there is no evidence for the actual existence of organized satanic cults". -- Choice

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081269192X
• ISBN13: 9780812691924
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Open Court
• Length: 418 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Sorry I didn't take your class

I was at SUNY JCC in 1996 and regret not taking Victor's sociology class. I refused to take this because I thought "Satanic Panic" was an attack on Christians. "Satanic Panic" should be required reading for Christians, and should serve as a wake up call. Christians need to refuse feeding the crazy rumors that often infect our circles. (M.M O'Hare and the FCC) I grew up believing in SRA and it was not until I read things from Christian Research Institute and Bob & Gretchen Pasatino and continued to see Dr. Victor being cited. Please accept my apology for refusing to think and refusing to take your class.

Panic usually is about nothing substantial....

In the late 1970's and early 1980's there arose in the USA the widespread belief that a Satanic underground cult was systematically kidnapping people, abusing children, and sacrificing human beings and animals. Rumours of dead people hung from streetlights, fields littered with the dead bodies of sacrificed babies, and Satanists cooking children in microwaves were accepted without any criticism and, more importantly, any scrap of corroborating evidence. How could this happen?"Satanic Panic" is an important work that explores this. Sociologists, journalists, psychologists, law enforcers, and religious leaders should read it. Victor shows that Satanic panic practically is a sociological phenomenon; his investigations lead to several important discoveries, for example:- Rumours of organised Satanism are most explicit in suburban and country areas, and virtually absent in cities. The 'victims' of Satanists also tend to be white, blond, blue-eyed virgins.- The belief in organised Satanism is typical of white middle class Christians and blue-collars; there's a clear link between low education and belief in Satanism. - Rumours of organised Satanism are lead back to and are firmly rooted in historical uprisings of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and ethnic hatred. - Rumours of organised Satanism are fuelled by Born Again Christian organisations that push forward 'experts' on Satanic, who earn big money by organising seminars.- The rise of Satanic panic (around the 1970's) occurred through evangelical Christian publications ("Michelle Remembers") and Christian psychologists who believe that mental disorders are manifestations of demonic forces. - The 'victims' who 'remembered' are by and large suffering from posttraumatic stress or multiple personality disorder, and treated by Evangelical psychologists or 'believers' using suggestive regression methods.- Satanic panic has been taken up and spread by paparazzi and sensational journalism.- The majority of secular persons (journalists, psychiatrists, and law enforcers) that vouched for the truth of Satanic sects have admitted the error of their ways."Satanic Panic" is not only an informative work, but also a constructive guide to people and organisations that can be contacted when Satanic panic arises, and how to deal with a wildfire rumour. Many innocents in the USA and Great Britain have been accused and sometimes even convicted without any scrap of evidence, resulting in Evangelical communities 'rescuing victims' from 'satanist families'; to this day, these issues remain largely unresolved due to some people too embarrassed to admit they were wrong."Satanic Panic" deals mainly with the USA, but for the UK there's the interesting pamphlet 'Burn, Witch, Burn', by Lesley Wilkinson from Wyrd Press.

A lucid, rational view of an emotionally charged issue

The author does a wonderful job of dissecting the nature of the "panic" that had many Americans believing in the existence of a Satanic "underground" movement in the eighties and early nineties. Extremely readable and not couched in overly academic language, the book is useful for anyone who needs solid, reasonable information on the subject--the lay public, academics, the clergy, or police officers will all benefit from reading this work and keeping an open mind.Victor follows the panic from a number of angles; religious, sociologic, folkloric, and so on. For each he presents a balanced case that seeks not to ridicule anyone who "bought into" the stories of widespread Satanism, but simply to understand why they did so. He also shows how some people (psychologists, police, and so on) actually thrived on the notoriety they achieved in their capacity as "witch hunter" and sought to keep the panic alive in order to further their own agendas.Excellent reading, and a book that shows the danger of blindly believing rumors and unverified conspiracy tales.

Excellently researched, objective, and engrossing.

We aren't in the middle ages. Englightened people shouldn't believe "survivors" who have "incredible" (literally) excuses for why there is no physical evidence for this allegedly commonplace phenomenon. Using comparisons to "real" secret societies, Victor makes it clear that it would not be possible to hide "all" evidence of a "ritual abuse organization". His conclusive and insightful research is presented with riveting examples in a very logical manner.

A Fascinating Look At Modern Witch-hunting

I just finished reading this fascinating book and highly recommend it. Everyone should be aware of these FACTS which debunk the whole Christian "Satanic Ritual Abuse" scare campaign. Very thorough and well-researched, this book is a much-needed rational antidote to the current poisonous false accusations against innocent people. Its hard to believe that huge numbers of people will believe such far-out allegations as those of the so-called "experts" (many of which have already been shown to be total frauds) without any evidence except the fantasies of mentally-ill people & small children manipulated into telling tall tales. I became interested in this book from reading about the "West Memphis 3" case, in which 3 youths were convicted of murder (one is on Death Row) without any hard evidence, just the "Satanic Panic" accusations. You think such insane things as the Salem Witch Trials are a thing of the past? Think again! A great non-fiction read---FIVE STARS!