Paedophilia: The Radical Case

Paedophilia: The Radical Case
Author Tom O'Carroll
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Subject Paedophilia
Published 1980 (Peter Owen)
Media type Print
ISBN 0-7206-0546-6

Paedophilia: The Radical Case is a 1980 book about paedophilia by the dual nationality Irish/British paedophile activist Tom O'Carroll, former chairman of the long defunct Paedophile Information Exchange.

Summary

O'Carroll advocates the normalization of adult-child sexual relationships. He states his belief that each stage of the sexual relationship between an adult and child can be 'negotiated', with "hints and signals, verbal and nonverbal, by which each indicates to the other what is acceptable and what is not... the man might start by saying what pretty knickers the girl was wearing, and he would be far more likely to proceed to the next stage of negotiation if she seemed pleased by the remark".[1]

Reception

Reviewers were sharply divided, their reactions ranging from the scathingly dismissive[2][3][4] to strongly supportive of the author, if not entirely of the "radical case" he had set out.[5][6] The gay press was broadly sympathetic.[7][8][9] Sociologist Jeffrey Weeks called the book "the most sustained advocacy of the subject", but nevertheless believed that there were powerful arguments against O'Carroll's views about the possibility of children consenting to sex.[10]

Sexologist Richard Green included O'Carroll's book as recommended reading for his criminology students at Cambridge University. In 2000, he invited O'Carroll to speak at the annual meeting in Paris of the International Academy of Sex Research.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Tom O'Carroll, Paedophilia : The Radical Case, Peter Owen Ltd, London, 1980 (hardback); Alyson Publications, Boston, Mass., 1982 (paperback). ISBN 0-7206-0546-6
  2. ↑ Mary-Kay Wilmers, 'Young Love', London Review of Books, 2:23 · 4 December 1980, pp. 9-10 http://www.lrb.co.uk/v02/n23/mary-kay-wilmers/young-love
  3. ↑ Charles Rycroft "Sensuality from the start", Times Literary Supplement, 21 November 1980
  4. ↑ John Rae "Suffer little children", Times Educational Supplement, 17 October 1980
  5. ↑ Maurice Yaffé "Age of Consent", New Statesman, 7 November 1980, p.31
  6. ↑ Eric Taylor "'Too young to love?", New Society, 30 October 1980, p.246
  7. ↑ Ken Plummer Gay News, No.202
  8. ↑ Hubert Kennedy Books, The Advocate, March 1982
  9. ↑ Wallace Hamilton "Honor Thy Son", Christopher Street, February 1981, pp.55-7
  10. ↑ Jeffrey Weeks, Sexuality and its discontents, Routledge, London, 1993, pp.225-226
  11. ↑ "If no rules have been broken, perhaps the rulebook requires some attention?", Times Higher Education Supplement, Marcello Mega, 23 November 2001
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