Debate Guide: Abuse of language

Abuse of language - for example, Newspeak and phrases with false associations can often be found in the Child Sexual Abuse and pedophile hysteria discourses. Whilst misdefinition and rhetoric may expose some degree of abuse, this article will deal briefly with associations found within phrases (or "slogans") of the CSA advocacy movement.

Consider, for example - retailers and advertisers taking advantage of retail therapy, which associates spending with a higher state of consciousness. Punchy, easy to remember catchphrases or slogans are clearly an extremely potent tool for the powerful.

It can also be said that politicians, therapists, the media and campaigners use child sexual abuse, which associates child sex with coercion and psychopathy (also note 'sex abuse', 'sexually perverse' and 'sexually violent'). If two different things such as sexuality and psychopathy can become rhetorically intertwined, and the phrase is repeated enough, whole ways of thinking can be altered.

See also

• List of obfuscatory terms used by authorities