Erotic Innocence: The Culture of Child MolestingIn Erotic Innocence James R. Kincaid explores contemporary America's preoccupation with stories about the sexual abuse of children. Claiming that our culture has yet to come to terms with the bungled legacy of Victorian sexuality, Kincaid examines how children and images of youth are idealized, fetishized, and eroticized in everyday culture. Evoking the cyclic elements of Gothic narrative, he thoughtfully and convincingly concludes that the only way to break this cycle is to acknowledge--and confront--not only the sensuality of children but the eroticism loaded onto them. Drawing on a number of wide-ranging and well-publicized cases as well as scandals involving such celebrities as Michael Jackson and Woody Allen, Kincaid looks at issues surrounding children's testimonies, accusations against priests and day-care centers, and the horrifying yet persistently intriguing rumors of satanic cults and "kiddie porn" rings. In analyzing the particular form of popularity shared by such child stars such Shirley Temple and Macaulay Culkin, he exposes the strategies we have devised to deny our own role in the sexualization of children. Finally, Kincaid reminds us how other forms of abuse inflicted on children--neglect, abandonment, inadequate nutrition, poor education--are often overlooked in favor of the sensationalized sexual abuse coverage in the news, on daytime TV talk shows, and in the elevators and cafeterias of America each day. This bold and critically enlightened book will interest readers across a wide range of disciplines as well as a larger general audience interested in American culture. |
From inside the book
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Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Trapped in the Story | 29 |
Inventing the Childand Sexuality | 51 |
Myths of Protection Acts | 73 |
Home Alone with the Adorable | 111 |
Resenting Children | 139 |
Myths Legends Folktales | 165 |
Believing the Children | 191 |
Perversion among | 213 |
Recovered Memory | 239 |
the Reaction the Resurgence the Return | 259 |
Other Stories Other Kids | 279 |
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Common terms and phrases
abduction Abuse New York accused adorable adult Alan Alan Dershowitz allows Angeles baby backlash believe Buckey charges chil child molesting Child Sexual Abuse childhood sexual Courage to Heal crime criminal Culkin culture cute December demons drama dren Elijah Wood Elizabeth Loftus Ellen Bass erotic eroticism fact false memories fantasy father feel film Freud girl give Glendale News-Press going happened horror Ibid idea images incest innocence issue Itard J. M. Barrie kiddie porn kids kill look Los Angeles Macaulay Culkin Mary Baxter McMartin Michael Jackson monsters mother movie murder myth narrative never Newsweek ourselves parents Pausch pedophile percent perhaps play plot police problem prosecution protection recovered memory repression ritual abuse satanic says seems sexual child abuse Shirley Temple spanking story talk teacher teenage television tell therapists there's things tion told trial victims young