A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse

This decade review of scientific knowledge about the problem of child sexual abuse integrates as much of the current interdisciplinary literature as possible, both unpublished and recently published, with the older literature. The authors consider five main topics--prevalence of sexual abuse, children at high risk, offenders, effects, and prevention. The book reviews findings from community survey studies which shed light on how widespread sexual abuse is in the population at large and which groups of children are at greatest risk. It also reports on the prison studies concerning why it is that offenders offend and examines all the studies from clinical literature which try to determine what the long-term effects of sexual abuse are on victims. In addition, the book contains a valuable chapter on research design which makes suggestions that every potential investigator in this field needs to be familiar with. The book is written in a clear, organized fashion and addresses the most pressing issues in the field of sexual abuse at the current time. "I consider David Finkelhor to be the best and most knowledgeable researcher in child sexual abuse in the United States today. A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse has added immeasurably to the scientific quality of this field." --Diana E. H. Russell, Mills College, Oakland, California "Finkelhor′s ability to cut through the jargon of published research and sort out the meaningful findings is an invaluable help to clinicians in identifying issues in their work." --Gail Ryan, Adolescent Perpetrator Network "Unique, up-to-the-minute, and indispensable for anyone who needs to understand what is known and not known about sexual abuse." --Murray A. Straus, University of New Hampshire "Finkelhor and his associates have been in the forefront during the last decade in challenging western society with impeccable research into the prevalence of sexual abuse. A succinct comparative array of research material and findings . . . the student is provided with a bible which will serve well as a guide through the minefield of often contradictory literature on child sexual abuse." --Social Work Education "Finkelhor and his colleagues have provided a book that exemplifies social science research at its best. This sourcebook is thoughtful and knowledgeable, without being patronizing or condescending to the practitioners who must act on a day-to-day basis. . . . An important contribution to the field." --Journal of Marriage and the Family "This ′sourcebook′ is thoughtful and knowledgeable, without being patronizing or condescending to the practitioners. . .We have come to expect this level of thoughtfulness and quality from Finkelhor (and) this latest book fulfills that expectation. . . . An important contribution to the field. . . . This book is an excellent resource because it is a comprehensive gathering of facts of child sexual abuse, spanning the past ten years. It would be helpful to anyone involved in the intervention or research of child sexual abuse. It is an excellent overview for students." --Family Violence Bulletin "An invaluable directional guide to such thorny issues as the ′prevalence of sexual abuse, children at high risk, offenders, effects, and prevention.′" --New Society "The chapters are well organized and clearly written. . . . For the pediatric psychologist or other clinicians who might be new to the area, or who might need a compilation of research findings for a grant proposal, the book does indeed serve as a sourcebook of accurate and detailed information in the five areas that are covered." --Journal of Pediatric Psychology "We need quiet, dispassionate facts like the ones presented in Finkelhor′s book. He coolly lists the conditions under which child sexual abuse is most likely to occur. . . . Clearly, the sexual abuse of children should arouse intense emotions in us all. It is a serious crime and should carry serious penalties. It is precisely because of this that someone needs to be dispassionate about the subject and lay out the facts for us. Finkelhor accomplishes this . . ." --International Social Science Review