Commentary on the Book Entitled Sexual Violence Against Children in Britain Since 1965: Trailing Abuse by Nick Basannavar. Palgrave Macmillan. 2021. ISBN 978-3-030-83147-9

Abstract

This Commentary is a subjective personal appraisal of the book in question rather than an objective Review. The rationale for this approach is presented. The author of the book engages with a series of “landscapes”, real and metaphorical, in his quest to “trail” child sexual abuse (CSA) in Britain over the last half century and more in its material reality and its representation in public discourse. It is an interdisciplinary work intended to sit at the intersection of diverse research areas: sexual violence; the history of sexuality; social and cultural history; media history and media studies; medicine and psychiatry; sociology and policy; criminology, law and sexual offending; childhood and family studies. Despite the titular focus on “sexual violence” against children, no definition of the term is offered in the book. It is a critical omission, with major ramifications, from a work that is otherwise studiously attentive to the changing language through which taboo acts of sexual engagement with children have been conceived and represented in media and other public discourse. The author’s use of the “sexual violence” concept is vigorously contested.

Full text

JOURNAL:

TITLE:

 ! "#$%&'('!(!'&(")%'$
AUTHOR NAME:
*+,
Abstract
*-.../0-
12*/...*/2/
3.45.5034678
/..#
.2/9:
/:::
.:.:52;:/
<./345=/;
#52-=5/22
>2/2
..*,/
34.
Keywords
/55..5.#/5..5

Introducon
7=22-
,5#;..
./0#
-125./-.
75/2../22-,3.45
.3.4
Commentary
?.52../'/
52=2.*
/525/'
"

*,..2//2,5.
@. !
5A2/*/5
B../
/259
*/.5.5034
678..#'
B2C.##55/"$D!5.
.22/.2.
3.4###55/2"$%!/
//'5/2
E.5..
.#F55/525"$&!5
./.72////
5/22A..'
?5F5G52/../52
/3453'457-..
#=.2/..9
H.22/9
:/::
:.:.:52
;:/*.
/./5.
7/
22
?.5./G.5
2..25..>
23.4#A.
2.5./.
.52././7
/22=;
.34=#
5;./268
.2;5./
I9
#=..5
2.5.J,
*;//J,5
2522. 5/
*222=2
.62.K852/

*0/5/5
/5//2..;5
3.4/=/7
/#25/573
4L.M*=//../
2'-.=5.
-7..2/5
/>55/.5
/=65 !"&:15"$$&:5 !!&8
3=
5.../46
.. 5/85/2
//0./
./
70=/7///
689
H/..5
/522/2..
*H',
,#.#076##78..52
/57;3525
...24
C05.'2/
/.#/34/=5
5..6
.'55./83
...2452.A
2NI./2/
.N
+..5...5
...5./5
..#/5/52!
>..6785..52>
2;.3452
N#23..46'.2
82/50
./.9.
../2=25/
26+O5"$$ :5"$%$:I5"$&(8
//..5255
222#</2
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.5=2-565
!"$8I2..3452
-.5.=.
.52/0

7.52.G
22/.2
0P..2.P.25
/5P/2
222..P*>./3.4
2+/=2/..52.
=.2..>:5/2
..5.252
5>
O..55A.=
;>O525
.5/.5;2
#.2/
682/5/2//
/6Q5 ! (8*5
55/.
.2..2=5
.52..
,./3465 !"R:S.5"$$ :C5"$$ :
+5"$$":15 !!(:/5"$&)8
27/A..5
2E.5/.
;2..52>22

#/."$)R%%/
25"$%!#.#/6#852
/>###5#.2=.D53#
J1,4525"#52
.%53.7#5.7.4.
..../..5
##2.///5/.
..22;./*
2/2/;2
2522/.I/2
///5252
/2//-22
)

/.52A/2
26O5 !"":G5 !"D:T5 !!$:+5 !! 8
I2.5'2/I.
.2/..6#5"$%R8I1
Q5G52
25/23,J,
,/4*2/..,55
5Q,./..
7/5,#,../5
22.I2...
...5222/
0.
2/.52
/5=2--5#2
-#*0/-/0
.9>./.22,
5.#.G.
?5#../32
4/#.552.U52
2-..G.>/,5
/,52./2-#
225?52
.65"$%&8G3
4/..32.2
>/'/'+,4G
.-$%&'5'2>5#
5/...G."$&!
"#22.-5&#()
**=5532..5J,//62
8/#/U//J2,..
.5/...24
G25#,2=/
-.>.'2/5
G93I2.22..#,
"$%!"$&!5.22/.,4
**,2/..../
34-*..5#,
#/5#/..3
/..4#5-72O223
4/..A#,+5.-
#,!6../'8:-/
++>
R

*2E.,##,
!2..I
>/5.
*555522'.
5//#2-2-.5
/.55./;
3...4*2N<
/2.VS"$D!N
552/+
G25,22.2
#.62%;5
80;V5/5.5
/34#.5
22.5...
2/.=
I23452..
..*.-5.5/.#
P>..;//.'
"$%!.+;7/"$D%4
2/22*./72-
..'"$D%65"$$$8*/2
///
+//..+0
+:+*.
5.22.
2.)*222./
/I572E22/.
.>3..45/
65 ! ":C5 ! (:C5 ! !:I5
! "8
#23//"$D!5
//4755
WG9234*=../23..
.45*SA52/#5
-//C62C852/
.2#53V..
4523.>/#4
32.+XX//52A
//.46*5"$&"8
#,3Y
..4<Y/I2I2
/5*52"$%!I..
2=/2
D

..I2/2/2/
2../2
55-5//
/6G5 !"D8
752,.522
"$%!A71.
.*/2
-.
//
/'.==./6C5 !" :.5 !"$8
*///2340.
.+.?5/32
452>.520*
//.22>
/*2../:345
52././-
6.5 !"$8
7/./#./5
3<452//#>1/
<2,.2.225
1.152/2
.//522
/65 !"$8*/=#2
1525222
5&))"65"$$)87
.34/525//5
..2/*
P<P2.+..;./:
2../Y65 !"$8
=5E+.53
..;C452.
Z2#/0#
//.//*##7>
/.#22.3.2
452-#0,.6Q5 ! 8
...5.5
/215.
,22./
/...
.5'63..4
/'80/-
%

?.5,2../2.
.#52.
2?
../2.5552
>.2..G
729-2

#-/2/
.2/237452
.''/
65 !!$:15"$$&8C=/
..V0.
/=@.
5/26G5 !"D8*
2/2<
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51 6"$%&8:)%1?5
.1?2OG0
Q<)7.
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E+C9
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15 6 ! 81''.//.
?..
),5$D"@$&R
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5O../
)5!%Q ! (
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."%+,956"85 @R(
/5* 6"$&)8...97.'
../-)#,9A6 85" (@") 
5 6"$$)8&))" 5#.)5"Q
9
5 6 !!&8";?I5<9
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:%+579V//
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