Saturday, January 25, 2014

Joyce Maynard on Relationship with J.D. Salinger: Carryovers for Discussion of Abuse Situation in Catholic Church?






Novelist Joyce Maynard, who says that J.D. Salinger sought her out for an intimate relationship when she was "a very young 18-year-old," reiterates (in different words) in the video interview above with HuffPost Live points that she also made last year in a New York Times article


People in positions of power — mentors, priests, employers or simply those assigned an elevated status — use their power to lure much younger people into sexual and (in the case of Salinger) emotional relationships. Most typically, those who do this are men. And when they are done with the person they’ve drawn toward them, it can take that person years or decades to recover.

• People in positions of power 

• Use their power to lure much younger people into sexual relationships

• Most typically, those who do this are men

• It can take that person years or decades to recover 

And, of course, as I listen to that interview and ready Maynard's remarks, I cannot avoid thinking of the abuse situation in my Catholic church. What do you think: is Maynard's commentary on her involvement with J.D. Salinger pertinent in any way to the abuse crisis?

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