Victims Of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The traumatic affects of childhood sexual abuse can remain and recur throughout life for women who have not healed emotionally. This book by a family therapist shares stories from 18 women abused as children, explaining that healing can occur at any stage of life, and that healing, itself, occurs in stages. The author offers guidance to recognize the long-lingering potential affects of childhood sexual abuse including depression, anxiety, dissociation, and chronic shock, and she explains steps to take for recovery. Also presented are letters from women who have healed or are in recovery. Sexual abuse by men, juveniles, and female perpetrators is discussed, as is how children may act out the abusive behavior taught by perpetrators. The incidence of abuse by family members is also addressed. Duncan explains the dual dilemma—moral and legal—that women face in exposing a sexual perpetrator within the family when not protected by the legal system due to statutes of limitations. She also discusses controversial topics including false memory and disclosure of memory to the perpetrator.

A long overdue book by a psychologist who has extensive clinical experience treating male victims of child sexual abuse, it explodes the myth that sexual abuse of male children is rare, or that the consequences are less serious than for girls. Hunter examines the physical and emotional impact of abuse on its victims and the factors affecting revovery. With personal case histories of victims and their families, this is a powerfully written and meticulously researched book that is a landmark in the field of child sexual abuse literature.

Childhood Sexual Abuse critically reviews research into and provides a concise and clear guide to our current knowledge on the topic. The issues covered include: the prevalence of child sexual abuse; who molests children; the effects of such abuse, both immediate and long-term; the risk factors for abuse; and the influences and interventions that may amplify or ameliorate the impact of child sexual abuse on the victim. Areas of debate, such as the false memory syndrome, are approached in terms of the research data relevant to their resolution. This volume sets out to inform rather than advocate, discusses the methodologies of research as well as their results, highlights the limitations and the extent of current information, and points out how we can learn more about child sexual abuse.

In the UK today, it is estimated that nearly one in twenty children are subjected to sexual abuse, with the overwhelming majority being abused within the family environment. However, despite its prevalence, intrafamilial child sexual abuse remains largely shrouded in silence, shame and stigma. Taking a phenomenological approach, this book presents ten retrospective first-person accounts from adult victims and survivors, exploring the impact of such abuse throughout the life course. These stories illustrate how child sexual abuse can cause trauma affecting almost every aspect of life: emotionally, psychologically, interpersonally, behaviourally and cognitively. However, they also demonstrate the remarkable resilience of the human spirit; of how adverse experiences can be lived with, processed, and assimilated. These accounts address a gap in what academics, practitioners and policy makers know about child sexual abuse; give victims and survivors a voice; and open up a conversation about one of the most enduring societal and cultural problems.

This book has been replaced by Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-4328-1.

Presents a model for the treatment of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse that takes advantage of a relational approach and that integrates psychoanalytic thinking with the latest findings from the literature on psychological trauma and sexual abuse. Case examples illustrate the authors' treatment model. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

'This book will be enormously helpful to those who have endured sexual abuse' Nursing Times This classic book has helped many thousands of people to manage the impact that childhood sexual abuse has had on their lives. The positive and optimistic approach continues to empower survivors to break free from the past. Now with signficantly updated resource and further help sections, this latest edition by clinical psychologist Kay Toon acknowledges the types of abuse that have come to light more recently, such as street exploitation, and abuse by celebrities, politicians and football coaches, as well as the use of digital technology to groom children and young people. Breaking Free is regularly recommended by counsellors, by media agony aunts and psychotherapists. A Department of Health project provided copies of Breaking Free and the Breaking Free Workbook to NHS Mental Health Provider Trusts. It is ideal both for those seeking therapeutic support and for those providing such support. 'The voice of the cowed, betrayed and helpless sexually abused child speaks powerfully throughout this book.' British Journal of Psychiatry 'The way the book instils hope is inspiring' Journal of Social Work Practice