The Politics And Experience Of Ritual Abuse: Beyond Disbelief Book

We live in an era characterized by contradictions, not least in relation to the issue of ritual abuse, which emerged as a social problem only to have its existence immediately challenged by a discourse of disbelief. While many academics have ranked amongst the skeptics in this debate Sara Scott is a sociologist who takes her respondents seriously - as well as acknowledging the interests and experiences which have shaped her own position.

The Politics and Experience of Ritual Abuse offers insight into why ritual abuse has become such a contested issue, while enabling the reader to explore the meaning of 'ritual abuse' through the accounts of those who claim direct experience. Drawing on her research with adults, who identified themselves as survivors, the author argues that the wholesale dismissal of such accounts as 'false memories' produced by a 'moral panic' may be somewhat premature.

The Politics and Experience of Ritual Abuse has been written for anyone interested in the specific controversy over ritual abuse, including students and researchers in criminology, social work, sociology and women's studies.