Conviction 03 | The Perfect Storm
From Motive: Conviction by RNZ
April 6, 2026 · 50 min · Season 2 · Episode 3
About this episode
The episode explores the influence of international events on a series of child sexual abuse claims in Christchurch amidst rising moral panic.
As more and more children came forward with claims of sexual abuse, we ask whether international events were influencing the case in Christchurch. This series was first released on 29 September 2023. To see more images and details about Peter Ellis and the series, vist the RNZ website here. As in similar cases a few years earlier in the US and Australia, rumours of ritual satanic abuse emerge amidst a rising tide of moral panic swirling around the beleaguered creche. A second child makes an accusation and police activity amps up interviewing parents and engaging an expert to interview children. No one speaks to Peter - withdrawn, now unemployed and stunned by the accusations. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Topics covered
- sexual abuse
- moral panic
- child accusations
- police investigation
- international events
Keywords
- Peter Ellis
- Christchurch
- sexual abuse
- moral panic
- ritual satanic abuse
- police investigation
- children accusations
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: RNZ
Places: Christchurch
More episodes of Motive: Conviction
- Conviction 12 | Legacy · June 8, 2026 · 54 min
- Conviction 11 | 2,416 Days · June 1, 2026 · 52 min
- Conviction 10 | Turns · May 25, 2026 · 43 min
- Conviction 09 | Twists · May 18, 2026 · 38 min
- Conviction 08 | 11 Long Weeks · May 11, 2026 · 53 min
- Conviction 07 | The Women · May 4, 2026 · 45 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Motive: Conviction podcast page.