{"id":2299,"date":"2021-07-20T21:57:36","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T04:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/?p=2299"},"modified":"2021-07-21T14:34:15","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T21:34:15","slug":"breaking-their-willing-shedding-light-on-religious-child-maltreatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/breaking-their-willing-shedding-light-on-religious-child-maltreatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Their Willing: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Breaking Their Willing: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 By Janet Heimlich\u00a0\u2013 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 \u201cbreaking the wills\u201d 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\u2019s 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\u2019s religious or secular orientation, maltreatment of children under the cloak of religion can never be justified and should not be tolerated.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>