The Politics And Experience Of Ritual Abuse (Paperback)

~ (Author) "From the mid-1980s, sexual abuse rose so high on public agendas of concern about children that it all but eclipsed deprivation, neglect, cruelty and physical..." (more)
Key Phrases: Judith Herman, Uncle John, Church of Satan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

We live in an era characterized by contradictions, not least in relation to the issue of ritual abuse, which emerged as a social problem only to have its existence immediately challenged by a discourse of disbelief. While many academics have ranked amongst the skeptics in this debate Sara Scott is a sociologist who takes her respondents seriously - as well as acknowledging the interests and experiences which have shaped her own position.

The Politics and Experience of Ritual Abuse offers insight into why ritual abuse has become such a contested issue, while enabling the reader to explore the meaning of 'ritual abuse' through the accounts of those who claim direct experience. Drawing on her research with adults, who identified themselves as survivors, the author argues that the wholesale dismissal of such accounts as 'false memories' produced by a 'moral panic' may be somewhat premature.

The Politics and Experience of Ritual Abuse has been written for anyone interested in the specific controversy over ritual abuse, including students and researchers in criminology, social work, sociology and women's studies.

About the Author

Sara Scott is based in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Liverpool, she is currently working on a Department of Health funded project developing training on gender issues for staff in the secure psychiatric sector. In 1997/98 she held the first Sociological Review Fellowship at Keele University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Open University Press; 1 edition (May 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0335204198
• ISBN-13: 978-0335204199
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,937,223 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important book about ritual abuse, February 3, 2002

By	Erik Rodenborg "Kire" (Solna, Sweden) - See all my reviews

Most sociologists who have written about ritual abuse (RA) has tried to analyze what they see as a "mass hysteria" or a "moral panic". They usually dismiss all evidence for the existence of RA and instead tries to analyze those who believe in it..
But Sara Scott is not among them. On the contrary she analyzes the inner logic of the backlash movement against survivors and above all she analyzes the sociology of the ritually abusive groups. I have never before seen such a convincing analysis ot the belief systems and the power structures in these groups.
Sara Scott had done a lot for RA survivors and those who support them by writing this book!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Objective, well written book on this issue, July 26, 2004

By	Kathleen A. Sullivan (Chattanooga TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I prefer books that, regardless of the author's personal experience, are written objectively, with the aim of revealing the truth. If this was one of Ms. Scott's goals, she appears to have succeeded. I suspect that this book will be used as a legitimate resource for many years by college and university classes. News accounts do verify the existence of these heinous crimes against humanity - if one wants to find them. Our biggest ongoing problem is that we don't want to know they exist. Those victimized the most by our denial are the children and adults who are tortured, raped, and even murdered while we pretend it isn't happening. We must muster our courage and emotional strength to accept that yes, such crimes do occur and yes, some people - and groups of people - are this bestial and sociopathic. (The torture and sexual assault of prisoners at Abu Ghraib is such an example.) Acceptance of such truths will ultimately change our lives - painfully at first, but ultimately for the better.

4 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A very sad affair...., March 20, 2004

By	Wordybirdy "buddy222" (NYC) - See all my reviews

I sympathize with Ms. Scott, as it seems she believed she was doing the right thing when she wrote this book. But I have seen such overwhelming evidence to support the fact that almost all "ritual abuse" cases WERE indeed caused by mass hysteria and community pressure. So many individuals in these communities were forced not to appear "weak," and jumped on the neighborhood bandwagon to accuse, accuse, accuse.

Nothing is more horrifying than the thought of our children being in peril...but that fear sadly caused a lot of irreversible damage to many innocent people's lives in these cases.

From the Salem Witch trials to the Senator McCarthy insanity to this mess, it seems that every so often the civilized world goes mad. We can learn from it...but not by reading this wrongheaded book.