Satanic ritual abuse refers to allegations of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse that supposedly occurs during rituals involving Satanism or other occult practices. These claims often involve a belief that groups engage in harmful activities, including the abuse of children, as part of their rituals. Despite numerous investigations, many claims of Satanic ritual abuse have been discredited or found to lack credible evidence. The phenomenon gained significant attention in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to widespread panic and numerous legal cases, but most experts now consider it a moral panic rather than a widespread reality.