Has A Child Been Molested? [Paperback]

Lee Coleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0967741807 | ISBN-13: 978-0967741802

EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN are sexually abused, but the system created in the 1970's by a few mental health professionals and adopted by law enforcement and child protection agencies is making things worse. In this book, psychiatrist Lee Coleman and attorney Patrick Clancy describe how and why this is happening. By explaining the history of the child sexual abuse prevention movement, and exposing the fatal romance between mental health and law enforcement, the authors show how caring and intelligent people, including police officers, social workers, child therapists, teachers and even parents, may unwittingly create false accusations of sexual abuse.

The result is a new form of state-sponsored abuse of both children and those unjustly accused. Analysis of real investigations, such as the notorious McMartin Preschool case, makes it an indispensable guide for attorneys, judges, investigators and all those who seek the truth of sexual abuse accusations. The book's importance does not end there: it also calls for legislative reform of our currently misguided child protection system. As such, Has a Child Been Molested? Is important for anyone who believes that child protection and justice need not be incompatible.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

A few reformers from law enforcement and mental health in the 1970's started a new movement, one that sought to broaden the scope of child protection to include victims of sexual exploitation...profound mistakes were made from the beginning but few people dared to notice. These were not just the kind of shortcomings we expect in any large, bureaucratic undertaking. They were mistakes at the very heart of what was being proposed and implemented. They were mistakes in theory and thinking, the kind which are bound to lead even the most dedicated and caring persons into practices that harm children rather than protect them. These mistakes, the reasons behind them, the consequences both for children and for the justice system, and what we believe is the solution, are the substance of this manual.

If it is disgusting to think of a child being used by an adult for sex, it should be equally abhorrent to think of a child being trained to believe things that never happened, especially when this leads to the destruction of a central relationship in the child's life. Child protection agencies have a duty to protect children from this form of abuse as well.

About the Author

For nearly three decades, Dr. Lee Coleman has studied the misuse of psychiatry and medicine in the courts. His first work in this area was the book, "The Reign of Error" published by Beacon Press. He also was an expert witness in the infamous McMartin Preschool Case, an expert witness in the Bakersfield Satanic Ritual Cases, and a consultant in the Little Rascal the Preschool Case. He has appeared on television on Larry King Live, American Justice, Today Show, and countless others.

For over two decades, Patrick Clancy, a Certified Criminal Law Attorney, has represented adults who have been falsely accused of child molestation. He is a frequent lecturer at attorney training syminars on the defense of those falsely accused of child sexual abuse. He and Dr. Coleman produced a documentary "Making Memories" on the recovered memory movement that was shown on PBS. He was also published by the American Bar Association on the subject of false allegations of sexual abuse.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Berkeley Creek Productions (February 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967741807
• ISBN-13: 978-0967741802
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,913,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Question is more Important than the Answer, February 14, 2000

By 

Steven Rease (Carmel, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Has A Child Been Molested? (Paperback)

"Has a Child Been Molested" belongs in every criminal defense lawyer's library if you are going to represent clients accused of child molesting. This book will educate the attorney to be aware of issues and problems that are unique to these cases and that without the insights of Dr. Coleman and Mr. Clancy one can easily overlook to the client's ultimate detriment. The highest compliment I can pay to the book and its authors is that it made me a better lawyer and allowed me to represent my clients more effectively. As a criminal defense lawyer with over 20 years of experience, I can strongly recommend Dr. Coleman as a powerful expert witness for the defense in child sexual abuse cases. His testimony on issues such as suggestability of child witnesses, syndrome evidence, an rebutting false claims of physical evidence of abuse is absolutely necessary if these cases are to be presented effectively and fairly to juries. This book covers all the major issues of mental health, medicine, and interview techniques that constantly appear in child molest cases. The book points out how doctors and therapists have been corrupted to apply their professional expertise in the name of saving the abused child based on the presumption that "children never lie" about these things. Dr. Coleman and Mr. Clancy point out how this movement to save the children got started and how it has been allowed to run wild through our criminal justice system. More importantly, they provide information and guidance that will allow the reader to understand what is happening and how to prevent the misuse of medicine and psychiatry in the courtroom. Anyone truly interested in seeing the truth come out in a courtroom cannot afford to ignore this truly important work.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Has a Child Been Molested, August 1, 2005

By 

Jesse Barrow III (Atlanta, Ga) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Has A Child Been Molested? (Paperback)

This is a very good book. It gives a balanced treatment of an issue that has reached near hysteria proportions in America today. Child abuse is an awful crime. In the past our society often swept it under the rug. But, today is too often alleged. Parents can too easily put a child up to making false allegations to get back at one another. Alternatively they can sometimes convince a child not to make allegations to protect a spouse on whom they are emotionally, financially, or spiritually dependant.

These days the mere accusation of abuse renders the accused branded for life. Also, these false accusations make it harder to give attention to the real cases. This is a book attorneys, police, and mental health workers should read carefully.

It gives factual information. It shows clear signs of actual or feigned molestation. It has case studies from real life examples. It is the kind of book that can bolster us to fight this crime, but caution us against charging in without proper facts.

Jesse Barrow

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely helpful for an understanding of the problem, February 11, 2000

By 

Dan Burland (San Jose California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Has A Child Been Molested? (Paperback)

Dr.Coleman's book provided me valuable insight while I was involved in the difficult task of representing a client accused of molesting his 9 year old daughter. The unfair investigative techniques and psychiatric myths foisted upon our juries in these cases are unravelled by Dr. Coleman's careful analysis of the issues. The straightforward explanantions by Dr. Coleman make this book a must for every lawyer defending these difficult cases. DAN BURLAND Esq. San Jose CA