Historical perspectives on child sexual abuse, part 2

Abstract

The second part of this article explores some of the topics of inquiry that have preoccupied scholars of child sexual abuse. It begins with feminist considerations of incest and the age of consent before providing a brief historiographical overview of the concept of moral panic as it pertains to offenders and, to a lesser degree, the sexuality of young people. A significant focus is childhood sexuality, including scholarly treatment of juvenile delinquency, and paedophilia, and homosexuality, as well as assumptions underpinning concepts of harm. It concludes by addressing history's potential to inform public debate, including the deliberations of commissions and inquiries before reflecting on the methods, approaches and problems in the field.