NCJ Number
123645
Editor(s)
E Driver,
A Droisen
Date Published
1989
Length
213 pages
Annotation
Feminist perspectives on child sexual abuse are offered that focus on father-daughter incest, children and the professionals who treat them, child sexual abuse and the law, racism and anti-Semitism, and positive actions that can be taken to deal with child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Child sexual abuse is defined as any sexual behavior directed at a person under 16 years of age without that person's consent. Many feminists suggest that child abuse is more widespread than research reflects and that it is experienced by all women. The book covers sexual abuse by both males and females, sex offender characteristics and motivations, and familial versus nonfamilial abuse. The professional treatment of child sexual abuse is discussed, with attention paid to concepts of depersonalization, punishment, and collusion. The section on child sexual abuse and the law emphasizes legal changes that may help survivors of child sexual abuse, including the institution of all-female police stations, the introduction of special advocates who appear in court to represent the concerns of raped women and children, and retrospective prosecutions which may involve criminal injury compensation. The section on racism and anti-Semitism considers ways the mythology of racism is bolstered by negative sexual stereotypes which have a direct impact on sexually-abused children. The final section on positive actions deals with political and emotional power, power over emotions, and the detection and recognition of child sexual abuse. 315 notes and references.