Speak of the Devil

Tales of Satanic Abuse in Contemporary England
Erscheinungsjahr 1998
ISBN: 978-0-521-62082-6
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 236 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 228 mm, Gewicht: 227 g

Allegations of satanic child abuse became widespread in North America in the 1980s. Shortly afterwards, there were similar reports in Britain of sexual abuse, torture and murder, associated with worship of the Devil. Professor Jean La Fontaine, a senior British anthropologist, conducted a two year research project into these allegations, which found that they were without foundation. Her detailed analysis of a number of specific cases, and an extensive review of the literature, revealed no evidence of devil-worship. She concludes that the child witnesses come to believe that they are describing what actually happened to them, but that adults are manipulating the accusations. She draws parallels with classic instances of witchcraft accusations and witch-hunts in sixteenth and seventeenth-century Europe, and shows that beneath the hysteria there is a social movement, which is fostered by a climate of social and economic insecurity. Persuasively argued, this is an authoritative and scholarly account of an emotive issue.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Fontaine, Jean La

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction; 2. The personification of evil; 3. Witches, satanists and the occult; 4. The extent of the allegations; 5. The question of proof; 6. Explaining belief; 7. Children's stories; 8. Confessions and tales of horror; 9. A modern movement of witch-finders; 10. Aftermath and conclusions; Notes; References; Index.