Exploiting Childhood ― How Fast Food, Material Obsession and Porn Culture Are Creating New Forms of Child Abuse

Wild, a child protection expert, and his contributors examine not-so-subtle but very pervasive acts by commercial and non-commercial interests exploiting children. They cover arguments, bullies, feeling "poor," child obesity, violent entertainment, "nature deficit," the myth of children's choice, the commercialization of girls' bodies, the over-sexing of the culture, the Internet as a global market for child sexual abuse, and popular culture and sex. They also give solutions, including standing up to cultural jamming, collective learning finding new utopias, and recognizing that commercial and sexual exploitation are forms of child abuse. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Jim Wild is a writer, trainer and activist in the field of child protection and safeguarding work. He is founder of The Centre for Active and Ethical Learning (www.activelearningcpac.org.uk) which organises national events and delivers training on child protection for frontline workers. He was previously a social work lecturer at Nottingham Trent University for 7 years, and before that worked on the frontline in child protection for 15 years. Jim is also editor of two further books: Working with Men for Change (Routledge) and The Value-Base of Social Work and Social Care (Open University Press).