The Truth about Cinderella
A Darwinian View of Parental
Love
By
Martin Daly and Margot Wilson,
Professors of Psychology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
A child is one hundred times more likely to be
abused or killed by a step-parent than by a genetic parent. This startling
finding was unearthed by two Canadian scientists who predicted, on Darwinian
grounds, that the official orthodoxy, which ignores family ties, obscures the
increased dangers to children of living in stepfamilies. This threat, although
a recurring theme of folk-tales worldwide, has been scandalously neglected by
policy makers and opinion formers. But why does relatedness have such a
profound effect? In a classic application of evolutionary theory, Martin Daly
and Margo Wilson present the evidence from societies around the world to tell,
at last, the Darwinian truth about Cinderella.
ISBN 0-297-84161-0
Reviews of the British edition:
"An important book. . . . The implications
are profound."--Brenda Maddox, Daily Mail
"A short but fascinating book . . . [that]
suggests that cruel step-parents are far from a myth. They are the
uncomfortable, but literal, truth."--Nigel Hawkes, The Times (London)
|
NCHR's Comments: This book also investigates the situation of
adopted children, but unfortunately Professors Daly and Martin have not
looked into the situation of foster children. The logical conclusion must
however be this: If, as Daly and Martin state, a child is one
hundred times more likely to be abused or killed by a step-parent than by a
genetic parent, then the risk for a foster child must be even greater. Yet
the legislators in our different countries - specifically the nordic welfare
states - take pride in separating children from their parents and loved ones
and re-settling them among paid-carers, who are complete strangers. |
Hundreds of children abused in
British foster homes