Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781616144050)

This revealing, disturbing, and thoroughly researched book exposes a dark side of faith that most Americans do not know exists or have ignored for a long time-religious child maltreatment. After speaking with dozens of victims, perpetrators, and experts, and reviewing a myriad of court cases and studies, the author explains how religious child maltreatment happens. She then takes an in-depth look at the many forms of child maltreatment found in religious contexts, including biblically-prescribed corporal punishment and beliefs about the necessity of "breaking the wills" of children; scaring kids into faith and other types of emotional maltreatment such as spurning, isolating, and withholding love; pedophilic abuse by religious authorities and the failure of religious organizations to support the victims and punish the perpetrators; and religiously-motivated medical neglect in cases of serious health problems. In a concluding chapter, Heimlich raises questions about children's rights and proposes changes in societal attitudes and improved legislation to protect children from harm. While fully acknowledging that religion can be a source of great comfort, strength, and inspiration to many young people, Heimlich makes a compelling case that, regardless of one's religious or secular orientation, maltreatment of children under the cloak of religion can never be justified and should not be tolerated.

Author: Janet Heimlich
ISBN-10: 161614405X
ISBN-13: 9781616144050
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Language: English
Published: 06/21/2011
Pages: 398
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.96lbs
Size: 8.97h x 6.10w x 1.11d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2011 pg. 10