The Study of Intergenerational Intimacy in North America
Beyond Politics and Pedophilia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3614969 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gerald P Jones (University of Southern California, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1991 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pages | 275-295 |
| Publication date | 1991-02-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Homosexuality (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0091-8369 • E-ISSN: 1540-3602 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1300/j082v20n01_16 |
| PMID | 2086635 |
| OpenAlex | W2013562168 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
Intergenerational intimacy, social as well as sexual, has been studied in the United States and abroad for some time. In recent years the general trend has been to label such behavior "child sexual abuse." Interest in this type of abuse has generated a considerable amount of more or less scientific literature, some of which seems to have been produced in a "rush to judgment" attempt to build a "professional" literature that supports popular beliefs. This tradition of child-abuse-defined literature, along with the work of investigative and helping agencies which some refer to as a "child abuse industry," has fostered a one-sided, simplistic picture of intergenerational intimacy. A close look at the empirical studies in this tradition reveals flaws associated with two problems: the studies nearly always (1) maintain a narrow focus on sexual contact, and (2) proceed from the related basic assumption that sexual contact in intergenerational relationships by definition constitutes abuse. While sexual abuse certainly occurs, those who apply this assumption to all situations are ignoring empirical findings that show otherwise. Research outside the "child sexual abuse" tradition reveals a broader range of intergenerational relationships outside the family, including a number of aspects which typically are not seen when the focus is on the sexual. Some studies show clearly that even when sexual contact is involved, negative outcomes are not inevitable. This indicates the need for a much broader approach. Further research in North American society and in other cultures would help us to understand more accurately the diversity and possible benefits of intergenerational intimacy
Child sexual abuse · Criminology · Developmental psychology · Diversity (politics) · Poison control · Sexual abuse · Sexual contact · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Child Abuse and Trauma · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,12 |
| Citation span | 1992 - 2013 (22) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |