Erotic Innocence: The Culture of Child Molesting

An exploration of contemporary America’s preoccupation with stories about the sexual abuse of children. Claiming that American culture has yet to come to terms with the bungled legacy of Victorian sexuality, James R. Kincaid examines how children and images of youth are idealized, fetishised and eroticized in everyday culture. Drawing on a number of wide-ranging cases as well as scandals involving such celebrities as Michael Jackson and Woody Allen, Kincaid look at issues surrounding children’s testimonies, accusations against priests and day-care centres, and the rumours of satanic cults and kiddie porn rings. In analyzing the particular form of popularity shared by such child stars as Shirley Temple and Macaulay Culkin, he exposes the strategies we have devised to deny our own role in the sexualisation of children. Finally, Kincaid reminds us how other forms of abuse inflicted on children - neglect, abandonment, inadequate nutrition, poor education - are often overlooked in favour of the sensationalized sexual abuse coverage in the news, on daytime TV talk shows, and in the elevators and cafeterias of America each day.