Breaking Their Will

This revealing disturbing and thoroughly researched book exposes a dark side of faith that most Americans do not know exists or have ignored for a long time-religious child maltreatment. After speaking with dozens of victims perpetrators and experts and reviewing a myriad of court cases and studies the author explains how religious child maltreatment happens. She then takes an in-depth look at the many forms of child maltreatment found in religious contexts including biblically-prescribed corporal punishment and beliefs about the necessity of breaking the wills of children; scaring kids into faith and other types of emotional maltreatment such as spurning isolating and withholding love; pedophilic abuse by religious authorities and the failure of religious organizations to support the victims and punish the perpetrators; and religiously-motivated medical neglect in cases of serious health problems. In a concluding chapter Heimlich raises questions about children's rights and proposes changes in societal attitudes and improved legislation to protect children from harm. While fully acknowledging that religion can be a source of great comfort strength and inspiration to many young people Heimlich makes a compelling case that regardless of one's religious or secular orientation maltreatment of children under the cloak of religion can never be justified and should not be tolerated.