Letter to the editor : Social attitudes lead to sex abuse

Notes: "I am writing concerning the review by Lorraine Williams of the book, 'Anatomy of a Nightmare: The Failure of Society in Dealing with Child Sexual Abuse' by Martin Kendrick (Churchman, September 1988). I am a victim of familial sexual abuse throughout most of my childhood and early adolescence. Because I have received a less than sympathetic hearing from relatives, I must ask that my name be withheld for my protection". "Zeroing in, as this book does, one cases of 'Satanism. ritual murders and perversions too gross to be imagined', does what it is supposed to do: inspire disbelief and divert attention from the cases where children are forced to masturbate their abusers, are molested, and raped. Sadly, these crimes happen more often than society is prepared to believe. The children thus abused are frequently those who run away from home, and at so young an age they are easy prey for drug pushers and pimps". "In this century child victims of their own fathers or members of their families still provide fodder for prostitution, a service used extensively in this country ... and a $3 billion international porn market".

Subjects: Child sexual abuse - Canada; Child sexual abuse - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada - Book reviews; Sexual abuse - Canada; Sexual abuse - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada - Book reviews