Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-252) and index.

1: Approaching Social Problems. Social Problems. Explaining Witches. The Role of Interest Groups. Moral Panics. British Panics of the 1980s. Symbolic Politics. The Interdependence of Panics. The Book. The Mass Media. The Media and Social Problems -- 2: Britain. Politics and Government. Race and National Identity. Crime and Disorder. Reconstructing the Family. Feminism. The Politics of Gender. The Conservative Reaction. Morality and Permissiveness. The Pornography Issue. Religion. The New Fundamentalists -- 3: Sex Beasts and Serial Killers. Serial Murder in Britain. The Politics of Rape. Serial Rape. Official Responses to Rape. The Yorkshire Ripper. Serial Murder as Sexual Murder. Constructing Sexual Violence. The Feminist Analysis of Serial Murder. Anne Lock and Suzy Lamplugh. The Events of 1986. The Debate over National Policing. HOLMES -- 4: Preying on Children: Pedophilia and Child Murder. Inventing the Pedophile. The Pedophile Information Exchange (PIE). Pedophiles and Homosexuals. Elite Criminality. The Work of Geoffrey Dickens. The Brighton Case. Child Sex Rings. Typifying the Pedophile. Operation Spanner. The Child Murders. Typifying the Child Murders. Missing Children. Resolutions? Pedophile Murder Gangs? Operation Orchid. Snuff. Bogus Social Workers -- 5: Enemies Within: Reformulating Child Abuse. The Child Protection Movement. Maria Colwell and After. Child Death Inquiries. Feminism and Sexual Abuse. American Influences. The NSPCC. Growing Concern, 1980-1985. Media Coverage. ChildLine. The Responses. The Use of Statistics. NSPCC Statistics. Increased Investigation. Legal Change -- 6: Cleveland. Leeds. The Influence of Leeds. Cleveland. The Cases Begin. Toward Crisis. Butler-Sloss. The Critics. Supporters. Cleveland as Witch Hunt. After Cleveland --

7: The Devil Rides In: Constructing Ritual Abuse. Discovering Ritual Abuse. Satanism in Britain. "Dennis Wheatley Types" Satanism as Threat? American Influence. Fundamentalists. The Emergence of the Antisatanic Movement. Elite Satanism. Survivors and Brood Mares. The Professional Literature. Radical Support -- 8: The Ritual Abuse Cases. The Panic Spreads. The Evangelical Role. Generating a National Problem. The Panic. Rochdale. Other Cases. Nottingham Revisited. The Orkney Affair. Media Reactions. "Social Worker Bashing" Defending the Cases? -- 9: Claims and Claims-Makers. Entrepreneurs. Pressure Groups. Coalitions. The Police. Social Workers. "Working Together": Interagency Cooperation. Cui Bono? The Impact on Social Policy. Presenting Claims. The Process of Acceptance. Just the Facts: Assessing Claims -- 10: The American Dimension. American Influences. High Channels. Obstacles. Parallel Developments. The Political Dimension. Comparing Mass Abuse Cases -- 11: Conclusion: The Next Menace.