The Witch-Hunt Narrative: Politics, Psychology, and the Sexual Abuse of Children

by Ross E. Cheit

In the 1980s, a series of child sex abuse cases rocked the United States. The most famous case was the 1984 McMartin preschool case, but there were a number of others as well. By the latter part of the decade, the assumption was widespread that child sex abuse had become a serious problem in America. Yet within a few years, the concern about it died down considerably. The failure to convict anyone in the McMartin case and a widely publicized appellate decision in New Jersey that freed an accused molester had turned the dominant narrative on its head. In the early 1990s, a new narrative with remarkable staying power the child sex abuse cases were symptomatic of a 'moral panic' that had produced a witch hunt. A central claim in this new witch hunt narrative was that the children who testified were not reliable and easily swayed by prosecutorial suggestion. In time, the notion that child sex abuse was a product of sensationalized over-reporting and far less endemic than
originally thought became the new common sense.

But did the new witch hunt narrative accurately represent reality? As Ross Cheit demonstrates in his exhaustive account of child sex abuse cases in the past two and a half decades, purveyors of the witch hunt narrative never did the hard work of examining court records in the many cases that reached the courts throughout the nation. Instead, they treated a couple of cases as representative and concluded that the issue was blown far out of proportion. Drawing on years of research into cases in a number of states, Cheit shows that the issue had not been blown out of proportion at all. In fact, child sex abuse convictions were regular occurrences, and the crime occurred far more frequently than conventional wisdom would have us believe. Cheit's aim is not to simply prove the narrative wrong, however. He also shows how a narrative based on empirically thin evidence became a theory with real social force, and how that theory stood at odds with a far more grim reality. The belief that
the charge of child sex abuse was typically a hoax also left us unprepared to deal with the far greater scandal of child sex abuse in the Catholic Church, which, incidentally, has served to substantiate Cheit's thesis about the pervasiveness of the problem. In sum, The Witch-Hunt Narrative is a magisterial and empirically powerful account of the social dynamics that led to the denial of widespread human tragedy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Conspiracy Theories, History, The United States Of America, Social Science

544 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2014

Reviews

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book which is very hard to put down, and of course emotionally has an impact. It's hard to believe exactly how much a harmful impact was caused by a mixture of lies by abusers, inept investigation and the public believe that children are never really abused 'that badly' by their family, day care, in their area, or ever in fact.

Dr Cheit meticulously goes through court records and reproduces them, showing the stark contrast between the unreferenced statements printed by journalists, and emotive parent-focused films and the actual reality. The failings in law enforcement collapsed a number of investigations and trials, with the abusers claiming it was a false allegation when in fact they are lucky to have avoided the death sentence for their crimes.

Check the quotes for the book to get an understanding of how he writes. Cheit is well known himself for his Recovered Memory Project website - which contains verifiable and accurate lists of corrobated cases of forgetten then remembered memories a trauma - something that has been documented historically since World War I. Cheit himself had corroborated evidence of his own childhood sexual abuse, which lead to the jailing of his abuser. He sticks exactly to the fact since they need no embellisment, including the fact that many jurors on the McMartin day care trial voted to convict.

As for witch-hunts, its a ridiculous claim when investigations only began *after* children disclosed abuse. Nobody was looking for abuse, and many professionals found it very difficult to accept the horror of such things. Since the 1980s and 1990s (key dates in much of this book) the growing awareness of child sexual abuse, organized pedophile rings and ritual abuse has increased, and the resources for both survivors and those who support them have improved both in number and depth.

This really is an outstanding book.

[Lore LongSoulSystem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ross Cheit comes to the rescue and debunks the lies of journalists, some mental health professionals, and lawyers that children lie, that children can't be reliable and that children can't testify.
I read this because it focuses on several cases brought by Debbie Nathan in her book Satan's Silence, in which she (Debbie) declares that "there's a moral panic and now everyone wrongfully thinks there's an epidemic of abuse where there's not".

Debbie Nathan is the same author that wrote "Sybil Exposed".

In other words. This work by Ross Cheit is another good material to debunk and practically EXPOSE this agenda behind these claims that trauma can't ever be recalled accurately, and worse, that there's no abuse happening

[Sir Michael Röhm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must-read, but very difficult.

The "witch-hunt narrative" is the delusion, manufactured in the wake of child sexual abuse cases in the 80s, that such cases are products of an overblown moral hysteria, not facts. Cheit examines the facts of various cases considered "witch hunts," and illustrates how they conflict with the media narrative of mere "Satanic Panic."

[Sally Kenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the most important books I have ever read. It's dense and deeply disturbing, but methodical and tenacious about those who seek to deny abuse no matter the evidence. So disturbing and I am deeply troubled by the media, psychology, and many civil libertarians.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheit's meticulously researched Witch-Hunt Narrative is one of the best recent pieces of scholarship that I have read and makes incredibly important statements about the societal perception, attitudes, and responses to the very real phenomenon of child sexual abuse. The author breaks down famous cases that have been oversimplified and mischaracterized in the Witch-Hunt Narrative by actually looking at case and medical evidence, court records, interview transcripts, and systematically analyzing the timeline and facts of each case. Broader statements about child testimony, the dynamics of child abuse, and how our society handles adults who sexually abuse children are detailed with case examples and spur a significant discussion about continued failures to protect children. Having worked directly with children who suffered abuse, sometimes pre-verbal abuse, it is important to see someone highlighting the misguided arguments and negative impacts of the Witch-Hunt Narrative. Painting children as liars, switching accused adults to victims, and placing arbitrary stipulations on children (need to disclose all abuse if directly questioned once - which flies in the face of lived experience working with abused children) further damages already traumatized children and puts other children at risk of future victimization by those who perpetrate child sexual abuse. These sentiments contribute to a culture that lessens punishment for those that perpetrate sexual violence against children, such as a recent law that passed in California reducing sentencing for adults that sodomize minors. This book is a serious academic analysis of these concepts and ideas that warrants attention for anyone interested in the field and in the protection of children.

[Valiant Thor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Product of a monumental research effort, "The Witch-Hunt Narrative" systematically dismantles the specious claims of "witch-hunt!" that has been used for decades to discredit high-profile child-abuse cases since the 80's.

Proponents of the witch-hunt narrative have dominated, especially in the media, for far too long. Cheit finally sets the record straight, in an authoritative, scholarly, and devastating fashion.

The book is long (400 pages+) and dense, but well-written. The difficult subject matter made it something other than a quick and easy read, but it was definitely worth the effort. Cheit did a great service to the Truth, and dealt a devastating smackdown to the shameless pedo-apologist proponents of the "witch-hunt narrative".

[Ellen H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally!

Too. Long. 400-odd pp. to ascertain something that could have been done in maybe 120.