Satanism is not inherently violent; the association between Satanism and violence stems primarily from the “Satanic panic” of the 1980s and 90s, a moral panic fueled by unsubstantiated claims of Satanic ritual abuse that were later debunked by academics and law enforcement. While some groups venerate Satan, many modern forms of Satanism, such as LaVeyan Satanism, view Satan as a symbol of human traits like liberty rather than a literal deity.