This bracing book makes a forceful case for reinvigorating our efforts to address and prevent childhood sexual abuse. In recent years, Sarah Nelson argues, the fight against childhood sexual abuse has been complacent, or even fearful. She attacks the causes of this head-on, reassessing backlashes like that surrounding the “satanic panic” and arguing that policy makers, practitioners, and academics have a duty to move beyond such problems and address the real issue. To that end, she proposes new models for child-centered, perpetrator-focused protection, community prevention, and working with survivor-offenders. Sure to be controversial, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse will challenge—and galvanize—the field.
“For anyone interested in tackling sexual abuse, this book fills a void, is an essential read and offers new theories and radical solutions which will stimulate debate towards positive change.” Laurie Matthew, Manager and Founder of Eighteen And Under “An exploration of the social, political and personal nature of sex crime that interrogates established practice and offers new ways forward.” Malcolm Cowburn, Emeritus Professor of Applied Social Science, Sheffield Hallam University In this outspoken and challenging book, Sarah Nelson argues that progress in addressing childhood sexual abuse has been in fearful or complacent retreat and that change is urgently needed in order to prevent abuse occurring, and to better support survivors. From this starting point, she puts forward radical suggestions for new models of practice. These are designed to provide perpetrator-focused child protection, to encourage community approaches to prevention, and to better support those who have survived abuse. Dr Sarah Nelson, University of Edinburgh, has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. She is the author of the influential and groundbreaking Incest: Fact and Myth (Stramullion Publishers Ltd, 1982 and 1987) Her research includes the voices of young survivors, critiques of current child protection systems and community prevention, media representations of abuse cases, and adult survivors’ experiences of mental health services. She is a former Scottish Government and Scottish Parliamentary Adviser. Sarah Nelson As revelations of widespread child abuse continue to emerge at an unprecedented rate, this book campaigns for change, offering policy makers and practitioners solutions for new ways in tackling sexual abuse, working alongside survivors to reduce its prevalence and impact. Tackling child sexual abuse “Sarah Nelson is one of our clearest thinkers about child sexual abuse – she brings scrupulous research, clear and committed politics, and wisdom accumulated over decades to one of the big issues of our time.” Beatrix Campbell OBE RADICAL APPROACHES TO PREVENTION, PROTECTION AND SUPPORT SOCIAL WORK / SOCIAL STUDIES ISBN 978-1-4473-1387-8 Sarah Nelson www.policypress.co.uk @policypress Nelson pb artwork v3.indd 1 PolicyPress 9 781447 313878 27/05/2016 14:27 TACKLING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE Radical approaches to prevention, protection and support Sarah Nelson First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Policy Press North America office: University of Bristol Policy Press 1-9 Old Park Hill c/o The University of Chicago Press Bristol BS2 8BB 1427 East 60th Street UK Chicago, IL 60637, USA +44 (0)117 954 5940 t: +1 773 702 7700
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