Tori Dante

Our Little Secret

This is a survivor's account of her abuse by her father. It is shocking. It is also deeply moving. It is a book to take seriously - an eye-opener if you are new to the subject of sexual abuse and how it happens.

Heather Gemmen

Startling Beauty: My Journey from Rape to Restoration

Heather was married and with children when she was raped in her own home. She could have seen her life as one long nightmare, but she didn't. This is a true-life story, written with a rare blend of grit and subtlety. It brings hope to anyone going through hard times

Peter Andrews

Survivor:

the Long Lonely Journey to Recovery from Childhood Sexual Abuse

Confusion, depression, isolation are all natural reactions felt by victims of childhood sexual abuse. The story is a painful one, a boy let down, betrayed and sometimes abused by people he should have been able to trust. Above all it is a remarkable story that against all odds the human spirit has a resilience that enables Peter to make the journey from victim to survivor. This book will encourage male sexual abuse victims who are fearful and anxious of taking the first step of sharing their painful experiences with others. It will also challenge others to ensure that victims of sexual abuse are given space to tell their story, are listened to and supported. Peter has set up his own charity and website to help the victims of sexual abuse.

Lew, M & Hoffman, R

Leaping Upon the Mountains: Men Proclaiming Victory over Child Sexual Abuse

In Mike Lew's first book, Victims No Longer, he challenged misconceptions about male victimization. In Leaping upon the Mountains, he follows up by focusing on the reality of recovery. Drawing insights from men from 45 countries who survived childhood sexual abuse, Lew presents a powerful picture of how it's possible to not only survive but overcome.

Ed. London Rape Crisis Centre

Sexual Violence: The Reality for Women

The third edition of this resource for women offers information on dealing with the emotional and mental consequences of sexual violence, and answers questions about the law and police procedure in dealing with these crimes. 

Lou Lewis

No Easy Answers

Many will know Lou Lewis as a sweet-voiced singer/songwriter. Now we discover her life...and struggle. A valuable book, chronicling the struggles of one person who sought to escape the clutches of past inner damage. The story's honesty quickly involves the reader emotionally, you cheer her on, groan with her and feel the regular bouts of frustration, anger and confusion. Lou shares her wading through painful relationships with total, refreshing honesty in a way that many would find very helpful. Some nice touches of dry humour, allied to a simple, clear, very readable style, make it an absorbing book, even "enjoyable" though that word seems inappropriate. The section of teaching on counselling skills offers useful, practical tips and it's interesting to hear how some of her beautiful, healing songs came to be written. A worthwhile, very profitable read.

Nancy Venable Raine

After Silence: Rape and my Journey Back

"The words shut up are the most terrible words I know," writes Nancy Venable Raine. "The man who raped me spat these words out over and over during the hours of my attack--when I screamed, when I tried to talk him out of what he was doing, when I protested." It took Raine seven years before she could start to remove the chains those words had wrapped around her spirit by writing about how the anonymous assailant had transformed her forever. As Raine takes us through her personal journey of recovery, she also explores the shifting cultural consciousness toward rape, from the acknowledgement of posttraumatic stress suffered by rape victims to the portrayal of rape in movies. It's this willingness to interrogate the world around her, combined with an emotional honesty that portrays intimate drama without resorting to sensationalism, that makes After Silence one of the most important books of the 1990s.
 

Laura Davis

The Courage to Heal Workbook:

For Women and Men Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

In this groundbreaking companion to The Courage to Heal, Laura Davis offers an inspiring, in-depth workbook that speaks to all women and men healing from the effects of child sexual abuse. The combination of checklists, writing and art projects, open-ended questions and activities expertly guides the survivor through the healing process.

Survival Skills - Teaches survivors to create a safe, supportive environment, ask for help, deal with crisis periods, and choose therapy.

Aspects Of Healing - Focuses on the healing process: gaining a capacity for hope, breaking silence, letting go of shame, turning anger into action, planning a confrontation, preparing for family contact, and affirming personal progress.

Guidelines For Healing Sexually - Redefines the concept of "safe sex" and establishes healthy ground rules for sexual contact.

John Bradshaw

Healing the Shame that Binds You

This classic book, written 17 years ago but still selling more than 13,000 copies every year, has been completely updated and expanded by the author. "I used to drink," writes John Bradshaw,"to solve the problems caused by drinking. The more I drank to relieve my shame-based loneliness and hurt, the more I felt ashamed." Shame is the motivator behind our toxic behaviors: the compulsion, co-dependency, addiction and drive to superachieve that breaks down the family and destroys personal lives. This book has helped millions identify their personal shame, understand the underlying reasons for it, address these root causes and release themselves from the shame that binds them to their past failures.
 

Mary Ellen Copeland

Healing the Trauma of Abuse:

A Woman's Workbook

This workbook offers women who have suffered sexual, physical, or emotional abuse crucial skills for coping, self-understanding, and self-care. The book is designed to be worked through from beginning to end, with self-evaluation questionnaires, writing exercises, and a variety of activities and relaxation techniques throughout. Also included are questions to ask a doctor, a personal crisis plan, and a comprehensive list of resources.

Rob Willson, David Veale, Alex Clarke (Authors)

Overcoming Body Image Problems including Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Many people occasionally suffer from a negative body self-image but, for an increasing number of people, this can turn into a more serious preoccupation. One per cent of the population will develop Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a condition characterised by severe preoccupation with a perceived physical defect. Body image problems can cause significant distress and can lead to further problems such as anxiety, eating disorders and social phobia. It has long been recognised that negative body image problems are a factor in the onset and maintenance of many eating disorders. However, they can be successfully treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

R.S.O.S.A and Kate Swift

Silent No More

A Collection of Works by 'Reaching Survivors of Sexual Abuse'

This book is about a group of survivors and those who support them coming together to be a voice for the voiceless...to shed more light on what it takes to survive...and perhaps most importantly of all to show that you can go on to achieve, inspire, enrich not only your life but others around you too.

Lifecentre

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