First published 1995
The 1980s brought terror to American communities as accusations flew against trusted adults. Preschool teachers found themselves branded as conspirators in elaborate child abuse rings. Parents pointed fingers at respectable neighbors. Courts heard claims of secret gatherings where children suffered rape and torture. Yet serious evidence remained absent from most cases. Debbie Nathan and Mike Snedeker dissect the hysteria that gripped the nation. They trace how fear spread from town to town, destroying lives and families. The authors examine what drove ordinary people to believe extraordinary claims. They reveal the social forces that transformed suspicion into certainty. This investigation exposes how moral panic can overwhelm reason and justice.
Genres: abuse, 20th-century, crime, social-issues, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: true-crime
Period: 1980s
336 pages · Hardcover · Basic Books
Content warnings: child-abuse