Ritual murder moral panic

June 25, 2005 12:40 AM

Poor old Mr. Plod can do no right - Scotlan Yard report into beliefs concerning child-abuse among ethnic minorities backfires, when media build up a moral panic, reminiscent of earlier cases of Satanic ritual abuse. (previously raised here).
posted by TimothyMason (4 comments total)

Sorry - sko'lnya:d
posted by TimothyMason at 1:03 AM on June 25, 2005

Shortly after the leak, however, came a flurry of media accounts of "a shocking Scotland Yard report" which was said to detail the way in which young African boys, "unblemished by circumcision", were being smuggled through ports and airports to be slaughtered during the concoction of "powerful spells". One BBC reporter described the report as "absolutely chilling". The corporation says it stands fully behind its reporting.

I'm gradually losing all respect for the BBC.
posted by languagehat at 6:28 AM on June 25, 2005

Back in 1989 I was on our treatment center's new task force for "Ritual Satanic Abuse". We were adding it a track in our treatment center. I took classes from the Chicago PD on how to spot it and even then I was skeptical. When pressed for specific cases, the officer could not come up with a single case (shock) but my oh my, the stories they tell!.

I listened to all of their stories then politely declined to be involved in it in any way. Hysteria comes on strong but goes away almost as strongly. As soon as this became less trendy, we stopped hearing anything about it, thankfully.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:20 AM on June 25, 2005

Told you so.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:11 AM on June 27, 2005