Paperdolls: A True Story of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Mormon Neigborhoods

This frightening, moving and often frustrating document alternates between the diaries of the two authors. In her diary, Daniels, a banker in her early 30s, begins to recall the abuse she suffered, beginning when she was five, at the hands of various relatives and neighbors. Scott, the mother of a friend of hers and a psychology professor, records her discovery that many of the same people recently have been abusing her grandchildren. Both women are Mormons, and most of the nearly 20 abusers appear to be church members, but there is little integration of the significance of this fact into the diaries. Furthermore, it is never entirely clear what the relationships among the various abusers were. What is significant is the overwhelming amount of evidence against them, their horrifying actions and the repercussions thereof (e.g., Daniels's multiple personalities). Scott's grandchildren's experiences included ``marriage lessons'' from their father and the filming of videos. The bare facts serve witness to a painful history, but perhaps some background information would have revealed more complex connections. (July)