Donald I. Fine
19 West 21st Street
New York, NY 10010
(212) 727-3270
$19.25
 

Description:

This book by a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court may be the first novel written using false sexual abuse charges as the plot.  The 26-chapter book tells the story of an 8-year-old boy's false accusation that his male baby sitter sexually abused him.  The boy is manipulated by well-meaning, but naive, therapists and parents and even though the boy at first tries to tell the therapists, parents, and police that nothing happened with the baby sitter, they decide the boy is in denial.  The baby sitter is convicted and commits suicide.  Ten years later the boy, now a college student, is troubled by guilt and wishes his mother and therapist were dead.  He sees a psychiatrist to whom he reports that he was actually anally attacked by two girls.  The psychiatrist tells the boy to tell the truth to the court, but he never does.
 

Discussion:

The novel may well provide useful information about what actually takes place behind the scenes when there is an accusation of sexual abuse.  It illustrates just how strongly the forces are aligned against a falsely accused person and how children, their interests forgotten, may be used as tools for the prosecution.  Although the mother is presented as claiming a high moral ground, the book shows how readily parents can be misled, manipulated, and naively destructive in reacting to a sexual abuse accusation concerning their child.

A chilling quotation gives the best indication of the nature of this book:

Trials weren't won and lost on the basis of the truth.  Verdicts reflected what the truth appeared to be.  Until you understand the difference between truth and evidence, you don't belong in the courtroom.  And Christ, the evidence here could be manipulated.  Especially with the help of a shrink (p. 158).

Reviewed by LeRoy Schultz, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, West Virginia University.