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Child abuse: A community concern
Chdd Ablrre & Neglm, Vol. IO. pp. 269-270, Printed in the U.S.A. All nghts resewed.
0145.2134/86$3.00 + .OLl Copynghr 0 1986 Pcrgamon Press LTD
1986
BOOK REVIEWS
Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory and Research. David Finkelhor.
Free Press, New York, 260 pp. 1984,
$22.50. IN HIS PREFACE, David Finkelhor defines this book both in terms of what it is not (a personal account or a guidebook for intervention) as well as what it is (“. . . intended to fill two other needs: a need for theory and a need for research”). Having read the book, I am reminded of Kurt Lewin’s maxim: “There is nothing so useful as good theory.” Finkelhor’s book should prove very useful as a guidebook for practitioners seeking to improve their grounding in theory-guided knowledge. Child Sexual Abuse reviews what we know (or think we know) about this important topic. Virtually every empirical issue is considered. In many cases the existing evidence barely permits a clear statement of the issue, let alone a conclusive resolution. But the available evidence does address many of the myths and bits of folk wisdom about sexual abuse that we have carried around with us. One of the most intriguing of these is the assumption among professionals that the general public has a wildly distorted view of the problem. On the basis of a survey, Finkelhor disagrees, showing that parents displayed good knowledge about many aspects of the problem, e.g., perceptions of victims, seriousness of the problem, and source of the problem. Only on the identities of perpetrators were parents in error-in adhering to the misconception that most sexual abuse involves “strangers” as perpetrators. Most readers will find Finkelhor’s hypothesized “Four Preconditions” particularly interesting. People concerned with prevention have long argued that we must seek to identify necessary conditions so that we can “defuse” or “disarm” them, and thus prevent the problem from occurring. This stands in contrast to approaches that address the multiple precipitating conditions. Reading this book brought home how far we have come in the last few years in our efforts to deal with sexual abuse. This is evident in contrasting this book with Finkelhor’s 1979 book, Sexually Victimized Children. This new book is an admirable volume, thoughtful and knowledgeable and committed. Thank you, David. JAMESGARBARINO, PH.D.
President Erikson institute for Advanced Stud?, in Child Development 25 West Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 60610
Child Abuse: A Community Concern. Edited by Kim Oates, Bruner-Mazel,
New York, 1982. Hardback,
321 p., $25.00. THE EDITOR’S INTENTION in producing this book was to place child abuse within a broad context by inviting contributions from a range of countries and professional disciplines. The 26 chapters succeed in this goal and the result is a different book on child abuse. 269
270
Book Reviews
There are seven chapters which explore themes relevant to the attachment of infants within their new family. The seven chapters emphasize the potential of this period for prevention and early intervention of abuse and neglect through the promotion of positive attachment. Particularly helpful chapters are those on failure to thrive and its outcome (Kim Oates), the consequences of abuse and neglect upon the child (Harold Martin), day-care centers (Jan Carter), the effects on professionals of working with abused children and their families (Lyndsey Fletcher), the role of media campaigns (Anne Cohn), and cross-cultural perspectives (Jill Korbin). There are a group of chapters describing practices in Australia, the immediate response to a scheme of mandated reporting, a volunteer prevention project, and the community nurse’s activities in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment. Richard White contributed a concise and thoughtful review of the different viewpoints on the rights and best interests of children. The book concludes with an exposure of some prevailing myths in child abuse management (Kim Oates) and an historically based perspective on the imperative of prevention and good treatment to avert the ill effects and intergenerational consequences of child abuse (Ray Castle and Sarah Briggs). As each chapter is brief, the reader should not expect exhaustive reviews of the subjects covered. Some of the material has been previously published as journal articles or as chapters in other books (e.g., Giarretto, child sexual abuse). However, the collection of chapters into one accessible publication has a definite advantage for those new to the field. The book is highly recommended, for it has the advantage of being concise enough not to daunt newcomers while providing the necessary width of perspective for those working with abused children and their families. Visiting Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Child) Associate Director, C. Henry Kempe National Center for Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect Denver, CO
DAVID P. H. JONES, MRC PSYCH. DCH
0145.2134/86$3.00 + .OLl Copynghr 0 1986 Pcrgamon Press LTD
1986
BOOK REVIEWS
Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory and Research. David Finkelhor.
Free Press, New York, 260 pp. 1984,
$22.50. IN HIS PREFACE, David Finkelhor defines this book both in terms of what it is not (a personal account or a guidebook for intervention) as well as what it is (“. . . intended to fill two other needs: a need for theory and a need for research”). Having read the book, I am reminded of Kurt Lewin’s maxim: “There is nothing so useful as good theory.” Finkelhor’s book should prove very useful as a guidebook for practitioners seeking to improve their grounding in theory-guided knowledge. Child Sexual Abuse reviews what we know (or think we know) about this important topic. Virtually every empirical issue is considered. In many cases the existing evidence barely permits a clear statement of the issue, let alone a conclusive resolution. But the available evidence does address many of the myths and bits of folk wisdom about sexual abuse that we have carried around with us. One of the most intriguing of these is the assumption among professionals that the general public has a wildly distorted view of the problem. On the basis of a survey, Finkelhor disagrees, showing that parents displayed good knowledge about many aspects of the problem, e.g., perceptions of victims, seriousness of the problem, and source of the problem. Only on the identities of perpetrators were parents in error-in adhering to the misconception that most sexual abuse involves “strangers” as perpetrators. Most readers will find Finkelhor’s hypothesized “Four Preconditions” particularly interesting. People concerned with prevention have long argued that we must seek to identify necessary conditions so that we can “defuse” or “disarm” them, and thus prevent the problem from occurring. This stands in contrast to approaches that address the multiple precipitating conditions. Reading this book brought home how far we have come in the last few years in our efforts to deal with sexual abuse. This is evident in contrasting this book with Finkelhor’s 1979 book, Sexually Victimized Children. This new book is an admirable volume, thoughtful and knowledgeable and committed. Thank you, David. JAMESGARBARINO, PH.D.
President Erikson institute for Advanced Stud?, in Child Development 25 West Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 60610
Child Abuse: A Community Concern. Edited by Kim Oates, Bruner-Mazel,
New York, 1982. Hardback,
321 p., $25.00. THE EDITOR’S INTENTION in producing this book was to place child abuse within a broad context by inviting contributions from a range of countries and professional disciplines. The 26 chapters succeed in this goal and the result is a different book on child abuse. 269
270
Book Reviews
There are seven chapters which explore themes relevant to the attachment of infants within their new family. The seven chapters emphasize the potential of this period for prevention and early intervention of abuse and neglect through the promotion of positive attachment. Particularly helpful chapters are those on failure to thrive and its outcome (Kim Oates), the consequences of abuse and neglect upon the child (Harold Martin), day-care centers (Jan Carter), the effects on professionals of working with abused children and their families (Lyndsey Fletcher), the role of media campaigns (Anne Cohn), and cross-cultural perspectives (Jill Korbin). There are a group of chapters describing practices in Australia, the immediate response to a scheme of mandated reporting, a volunteer prevention project, and the community nurse’s activities in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment. Richard White contributed a concise and thoughtful review of the different viewpoints on the rights and best interests of children. The book concludes with an exposure of some prevailing myths in child abuse management (Kim Oates) and an historically based perspective on the imperative of prevention and good treatment to avert the ill effects and intergenerational consequences of child abuse (Ray Castle and Sarah Briggs). As each chapter is brief, the reader should not expect exhaustive reviews of the subjects covered. Some of the material has been previously published as journal articles or as chapters in other books (e.g., Giarretto, child sexual abuse). However, the collection of chapters into one accessible publication has a definite advantage for those new to the field. The book is highly recommended, for it has the advantage of being concise enough not to daunt newcomers while providing the necessary width of perspective for those working with abused children and their families. Visiting Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Child) Associate Director, C. Henry Kempe National Center for Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect Denver, CO
DAVID P. H. JONES, MRC PSYCH. DCH