Father-Daughter Incest (Paperback)

by Judith Lewis Herman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The book is evenhanded, logical, well researched, and thoroughly gripping. It may have taken a while to get to, but it was truly hard to put down...Herman's thesis Ýis that incest is the furthermost extension of male domination in a patriarchal society whose men do not share equally in child raising...The bulk of Dr. Herman's book, apart from her considerable historical analysis, is an anecdotal and statistical study of 40 incest victims and their families. She compares these families with 40 families in which the father had been merely seductive...In summary, this is an excellent book that weaves together theory with the very practical therapeutic guidelines. Most fascinating is the way Dr. Herman brings to life the family dynamics of an incestuous family. In the end, the family members take on a mythic quality, like characters in a Grimm's fairy tale. "Father-Daughter Incest" should be required reading for anyone treating a victim of incest. -- Judith Blitman, M.D. "American Journal of Psychiatry" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
This is an extremely readable survey of father-daughter incest today. The author describes the incestuous family from several points of view, including the dynamics typical of the incest family, and of the seductive father family; the traditional values of American society that promote the possibility of abusive family conduct; the political structure of our society that fails to assist the victim and favors the perpetrator; and the legal-enforcement-treatment system, which is too heavily funded or prepared to work with incest/seductive families...The comprehensiveness of the book, and the well thought out presentation, make this one of the most thorough pieces of literature on the subject...The subject matter, statistics and legal information is accurate and well presented for easy reference. This book should be mandatory reading for any professional or paraprofessional who works with women, children and families.
--Nora J. Baladerian, M.A., C.S.E. (Journal of Sex Education and Therapy )

Judith Lewis Herman's fine book is one of the most important contributions to psychiatric knowledge of the last decade...As an exemplary model of feminist scholarship, [it] is a rigorous sociopsychological reconceptualization of our clinical assumptions about incest...Herman offers a sophisticated, detailed, and clinically relevant discussion of treatment and issues for victims and their families...Father-Daughter Incest is an eloquent, illuminating, and empathic analysis of an extraordinarily complex and troubling phenomenon. It should be required reading for all mental health professionals and trainees.
--Elaine Carment, M.D. (Contemporary Psychiatry )

In a well-researched and readable book, Judith Herman--an American psychiatrist--presents a clear and compelling feminist analysis of father-daughter incest.
--Maryon Tysoe (New Society )

Herman's rethinking of incest is profoundly, passionately feminist...Her book, the result of years of psychiatric work with incest victims, is undeniably painful, but it is also full of hope.
--Mother Jones

Herman's work is valuable to everyone who has been the victim of such incest because it offers help; it is valuable to those whose families are shattered by its occurrence because it offers a means for reconciliation, and it is valuable to specialists who seek to assist their victim-clients. (Los Angeles Times )

The book is evenhanded, logical, well researched, and thoroughly gripping. It may have taken a while to get to, but it was truly hard to put down...Herman's thesis [is] that incest is the furthermost extension of male domination in a patriarchal society whose men do not share equally in child raising...The bulk of Dr. Herman's book, apart from her considerable historical analysis, is an anecdotal and statistical study of 40 incest victims and their families. She compares these families with 40 families in which the father had been merely seductive...In summary, this is an excellent book that weaves together theory with the very practical therapeutic guidelines. Most fascinating is the way Dr. Herman brings to life the family dynamics of an incestuous family. In the end, the family members take on a mythic quality, like characters in a Grimm's fairy tale. Father-Daughter Incest should be required reading for anyone treating a victim of incest.
--Judith Blitman, M.D. (American Journal of Psychiatry )

Father-Daughter Incest is an exciting addition to the growing literature of child sexual abuse. It offers the best hope to date of appealing to a broad range of clinical professionals who have not yet examined the current rediscovery of incest. The book is startling, sobering, challenging, and in many ways inspiring. Most important, it is compatible; it is considerate of the needs, fears, and vulnerabilities of readers across the entire spectrum, from those who have experienced incest to those who would deal with it professionally....[It] is a fascinating, profoundly moving clinical and cultural expedition into the heartland of incest.
--Roland C. Summit (Readings )

A timely book of striking humanistic political and theoretical significance...I also find Herman's book an eloquent expression of feminist concerns about the oppression and sexual exploitation of woman at her most vulnerable stage of development. It is indeed Herman's trenchant feminist analysis that makes this book not just another research report, but rather a profound critique of female socialization in this society...This book is written in a clear, scholarly, and highly readable style. Although the book's message is passionate, the author maintains a measure of objectivity. She avoids harangues or polemics and relies on facts and observations in organizing a convincing presentation. I found this to be an absorbing, thought-provoking book which deserves to attract a wide readership among mental health professionals and the lay public.
--Sophie Freud Loewenstein, Ph.D. (Review of Psychoanalytic Books )

There is much to commend in the book. It is gracefully written and reviews a wide literature ranging from the scientific to the pornographic and from fairy tales to the Bible...The author presents practical and helpful suggestions on how best to approach a family facing the problem of incest, the methods of strengthening the mother's position and improving the mother-daughter relationship, necessary steps to protect the victim from further physical and psychological harm, and ways of prosecuting or treating the father. There is also useful advice on psychotherapy of grownup incest victims and a discussion of the countertransference feelings in male and female therapists that are most likely to interfere with treatment or to make it detrimental.
--Vera Frances, M.S. (Family Process )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press; 1 edition (August 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674295064
• ISBN-13: 978-0674295063
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #438,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insight for those who don't understand, March 13, 1998

By A Customer

As a text about the 'whys' and ways of incest, this is among the best. It explains why children go along with the parent, why they do not report it, and in some cases, may even want to continue the sexual relationship once it has begun. This is hard for some to understand, but you need to remember that a child will accept what they perceive as love from a parent any way they can get it. This is one of the best texts on incests that i have read.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars in depth, March 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Father-Daughter Incest (with a new Afterword) (Paperback)

Joyce Barrows, This book is an in depth detailed account of child molestation/incest and the ramifications of the act and the future of the child put under such a devestating stress. I personally am a fan of memoirs, enjoying the real more so than the imagined. This book offers the real life accounts of people when they were children and the pain that they must have had to endure. It is also a moving book, similar to that of Nightmares Echo by Katlyn Stewart and Beauty For Ashes by Joyce Meyers. Though this book is a bit more clinical

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the past in order to survive the present and thrive in the future, November 15, 2008

By	J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Father-Daughter Incest (with a new Afterword) (Paperback)

I think that there are three separate (and possibly overlapping) audiences for this book.

First, those professionals who work with incest survivors will find the results of knowledge gained from Dr Herman's experience studying this particular field of sexual abuse and working with those directly affected. Secondly, those who work with abuse victims in any care-giving capacity will find some guidance through the minefield of taboo and denial that tends to accompany this topic. Thirdly, this book is invaluable to some of the survivors who themselves can deal face the reality of the past while trying to understand that it isn't their fault and they are not necessarily alone in the conflicting feelings they have experienced.

Dr Herman's work in this area is well-presented and relatively easy to follow. By relying on facts, by incorporating case studies, and through referring to the history of the various incest taboos and practices, Dr Herman makes it easier for sufferers and caregivers alike to discuss the undiscussable.

One could wish that such studies were not necessary, and that no parent ever abused their position of power and authority. One could also wish that care and help was readily available to each child who has suffered at the time that the abuse was first experienced. By opening the topic to discussion and through publishing books which deal with behaviour in context and the consequences for individuals, families and communities, society is better equipped to help sufferers become survivors. Or so I hope.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith