Germanna Liberal Arts Lecture Series
Our series of educational events explores timely topics through open dialogue and discussion with local and national experts. Lectures are free to attend and open to all.
“And They Never Came Back”: Media Violence Against Children as Requiem and Warning
Friday, September 25, 2026 · 1 p.m. · Virtual
Dr. Erin Burns-Davies, Professor of English
Violence against children has long been a taboo in horror, used to shock audiences and remind us that no one is safe. But a recent surge of films and television shows placing children at the center of violence, exploitation, and disappearance suggests something more unsettling: Have we become too accustomed to the real-world dangers facing children?
From “Weapons” (2025), in which an entire elementary school class disappears, to “Bring Her Back” (2025), which explores the vulnerability of children in the foster system, recent horror has increasingly confronted the ways children are harmed by the people and systems meant to protect them. Sequels and adaptations including “Welcome to Derry,” “Alien: Earth,” “Black Phone 2,” “28 Years Later,” and “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” continue this disturbing trend.
This presentation examines what these stories may be telling us about violence against children—and whether horror can do more than frighten us. Perhaps it can jar us awake.