| This
book contains a series of letters to the author in which "Alan" explains
how the mind of a pedophile works. In an effort to help parents protect their
children from predators such as himself, Alan carefully describes how he selected
and preyed on his victims. He fortifies the reader on the ways to spot early warning
alarms. He proves that the danger of pedophilia does not come from the stranger
in the street offering gifts of candy. It's the nice boy next door, the distant
relative, the sweet baby-sitter. It is also shown that our churches aren't safe
havens. Nor are our schools or our Scout troops. Throughout
the book, Dr. Hammel-Zabin offers her expert analysis on
"Alan's"
letters. She is uniquely qualified because she is both a trained
therapist
and a victim of sexual abuse herself. Throughout, Zabin compares the motivation
and perseverance of the abuser "Alan," with her story: that of the abused.
Nothing like this has ever appeared in print before. It is a book of tremendous
value to all parents and child caregivers. AMY
HAMMEL-ZABIN is currently a practicing music therapist and a graduate advisor
for music therapy students at New York University. Her flute playing is featured
on a CD that is currently ranked #5 in Europe. She lives in Greenwich, CT with
her husband and two young children. click
here to watch Amy Hammel-Zabin discuss her new book Conversations
with a Pedophile
Kirkus Reviews: March 15, 2003 A
convicted and now remorseful pedophile explains how he selected his victims, earned
their parent¹s confidence, and then manipulated the youngsters¹ emotions
to gain control over them. In
the late 1980¹s, Hammel-Zabin, a music therapist working inside a maximum-security
prison, came to know the pedophile identified here only as "Alan." Then
in his late 50s, Alan was serving multiple life sentences for the sexual abuse
of young boys. Hammel-Zabin had been sexually abused as a child by her father
and grandfather, leading her to reflect on the points of view of both the perpetrator
and the victim. Chapters labeled "Alan" contain material gleaned from
some ten years of his correspondence and conversations with the author; those
labeled "Amy" contain her reflections on his words as well as her own
incest story, which regrettably adds little to our understanding of that phenomenon.
The text¹s most compelling and disturbing portions by far are Alan¹s
descriptions of his development as a pedophile and of his methods. The fantasies
that engaged him from a very early age gradually escalated into obsessions that
he acted out. At 14, he used the Boy Scouts as a way to hang around 10- and 11-
year-olds without arousing suspicion, and as an adult he involved himself in church
activities and scouting as a safe cover for his activities. He describes how he
became his victims¹ confidante and how he ensured that they would not tell
on him, even when the abuse reached horrendous levels. This is the stuff of parents¹
nightmares, but Hammel-Zabin argues that only by understanding pedophilia can
we protect out children from it. The final chapters discuss what parents can do
to ensure that their children do not become vulnerable to those who would prey
on them. The more difficult question of what can be done about the predators remains
unanswered here. The
veracity of these revelations must be taken on faith, but still, they have the
ring of very scary truth.
Psychology/Criminology
May
$21.95
Cloth
5 1/2 x 8 1/4
ISBN: 1-56980-247-5
Rights:
World | 
