Rapid social change and upheaval frightened people into clinging to the narrative of the evil stranger, allowing them to neglect or fail to realize that much of the abuse at the hands of children comes from within the home. To this day, remnants of the panic-fraught ‘80s live on. 

Childhood trauma can inflict lasting damage on a person's emotional and psychological health and well-being, which over time may cause young adults to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms.