I seldom use the expression “a special place in Hell” because it has been suggested as the ultimate destination for too many people by now, from serial killers to women who voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. Invoked too often, it loses its punch.
Still, it’s a tempting phrase to employ in certain situations — like the one I’ll be describing later in this column.
I’ve always taken “a special place in Hell” to mean that uniquely horrible damnation awaits the predatory class of criminals who exploit the vulnerable — that is, sociopaths who abuse children or the elderly.
