The Long Shadow Of Sexual Abuse

This book describes the profound interferences with normal developmental processes that occur throughout the life cycle as a result of chronic child sexual abuse. This conviction is supported by the presentation of detailed case histories of individuals ranging in age from five to sixty three.

Moderately functional, 39-year-old Vicki, mother of 8, finally enters therapy for a single incident of molestation she remembered from age 11. Slowly, the spell of traumatic amnesia breaks and she begins to relive her childhood while doing memory work: first, the complicated shame of incest, then the horrific rituals and orgies of Satanism, and finally the utter degradation of a child brothel at ages 9 and 10. Retrieving these forgotten childhood memories upsets and stretches the family in unimaginable ways. Healing begins with equally surprising consequences.Vicki's memories reveal an engaging and endearing child, spunky and determined to fight the brutal brainwashing process designed to break her will and spirit. Her father-generous, charismatic, and successful-is a fascinating and complicated character study in true crime. Her mother, from an educated, upper-middle class, and well-respected home, is just as enigmatic as she seemingly closes her eyes to what is happening to her daughter. This book is an inspiring, one-of-a-kind journey through the nether world of memory into the darkest crevices of the human heart.

A poignant, heart-lifting graphic memoir about anorexia, eating disorders and the journey to recovery Like most kids, Katie was a picky eater. She’d sit at the table in silent protest, hide uneaten toast in her bedroom, listen to parental threats that she’d have to eat it for breakfast. But in any life a set of circumstance can collide, and normal behaviour might soon shade into something sinister, something deadly. Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the vulnerable, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness. ‘Even at its most heartbreaking it never feels sombre ... Inspiring, plucky and, in the end, consoling, it’s hard to put down’ Observer

Challenging widespread assumptions that persons who are preferentially attracted to minors—often referred to as "pedophiles"—are necessarily also predators and sex offenders, this book takes readers into the lives of non-offending minor-attracted persons (MAPs). There is little research into non-offending MAPs, a group whose experiences offer valuable insights into the prevention of child abuse. Navigating guilt, shame, and fear, this universally maligned group demonstrates remarkable resilience and commitment to living without offending and to supporting and educating others. Using data from interview-based research, A Long, Dark Shadow offers a crucial account of the lived experiences of this hidden population.

With the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), the Roman Catholic Church for the first time took a positive stance on modernity. Its impact on the thought, worship, and actions of Catholics worldwide was enormous. Benefiting from a half century of insights gained since Vatican II ended, this volume focuses squarely on the ongoing aftermath and reinterpretation of the Council in the twenty-first century. In five penetrating essays, contributors examine crucial issues at the heart of Catholic life and identity, primarily but not exclusively within North American contexts. On a broader level, the volume as a whole illuminates the effects of the radical changes made at Vatican II on the lived religion of everyday Catholics. As framed by volume editors Lucas Van Rompay, Sam Miglarese, and David Morgan, the book's long view of the church's gradual and often contentious transition into contemporary times profiles a church and laity who seem committed to many mutual values but feel that implementation of the changes agreed to in principle at the Council is far from accomplished. The election in 2013 of the charismatic Pope Francis has added yet another dimension to the search for the meaning of Vatican II. The contributors are Catherine E. Clifford, Hillary Kaell, Leo D. Lefebure, Jill Peterfeso, and Leslie Woodcock Tentler.

More than one in six boys in the United States is sexually victimized by the age of 16. Yet in the growing professional literature on child sexual abuse, few books focus specifically on the experience of victimized boys and men. This much-needed volume examines how sexual betrayal affects boys and the ways they carry this hurt into adulthood. Blending psychoanalytic understanding with insights from trauma-oriented theory and practice, Richard B. Gartner presents effective strategies for meeting the unique therapeutic needs of men with sexual abuse histories. Filled with evocative clinical material, the book draws readers into the direct experience of these clients, the therapists who work with them, and the constantly shifting relational world they inhabit.

The Rape of Childhood: Development, Clinical, and Sociocultural Aspects of Childhood Sexual Abuse details the dark realm of childhood sexual abuse. While lived experience, memory, subjectivity, and affect cannot be classified into neat categories, this collection is divided into four core sections—epidemiology, emotional sequelae, psychoanalytic insight, and ameliorative strategies—to provide a thorough description of childhood abuse. The contributors examine the variables that increase a child’s vulnerability to maltreatment, including age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors, and outline the various emotional and behavioral consequences of childhood sexual abuse. This collection is essential reading for therapists working to help formerly abused children to learn how to love, be loved, and care about themselves.

The past quarter-century has witnessed a dramatic upsurge of violent crime in the United States and abroad. In this country, the rise in violent criminal activity has been consistently documented in such published accounts as the Uniform Crime Reports and the Statistical Handbook on Violence in America, published by the FBI and the Vio lence Research Group, respectively. Further, social scientists-particularly those working in the fields of sociology and psychology-have provided a convergence of findings attesting to the magnitude of one of today's most significant social problems: domestic violence (e. g. , spouse, child, and elder abuse). Such efforts have served as the impetus for heightened clinical and investigative activity in the area of violent be havior. Indeed, a wide range of mental health experts (such as psychologists, psychi atrists, social workers, counselors, and rehabilitation specialists) have endeavored to focus on strategies and issues in research and treatment for violent individuals and their victims. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive and timely examination of current psychological approaches with violent criminal offenders. Despite the fact that we continue to have much to learn about perpetrators of violent acts, in recent an increasingly large body of empirical data have been adduced about this years issue. However, these data generally have appeared in disparate journals and books. That being the case, it is our belief that such a handbook now is warranted.

Relationships forged between siblings are often the longest and strongest bonds in life. From infancy, siblings form and maintain lifelong ties to each other—not only the kinds that share in the joys of life but that also help individuals overcome adversity and heartbreak. Of course, not all sibling relationships are close nor, like any relationship, do siblings agree with each other all of the time. Yet, even after the most intense disagreements, siblings can still find a way to stay close. In Siblings: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Oliva Ghafoerkhan looks at one of the most enduring relationships that exist. In this book, the author explores such issues as sibling rivalry, sibling animosity, and sibling support. The author also looks at the dynamics of particular relationships, such as step-siblings, a sibling who is ailing, or a sibling who has a disability. This book also considers: How personality can be shaped by family birth order Why some sibling relationships are close, while others are plagued by conflict How to deal with the loss of a sibling Sibling abuse, the most common form of domestic violence How to improve sibling relationships Drawing on up-to-date research as well as personal stories of teens and young adults, this book examines the wide variety of sibling relationships, both positive and negative. From the birth of a new sibling until old age—and covering every stage in between—Siblings: The Ultimate Teen Guide will help young adults understand, appreciate, and even enhance one of the most important relationships of their lives.

The child sexual abuse scandal in the English county of Cleveland in the 1980s was a defining moment but not the scandal we were led to believe it was. Acclaimed journalist Beatrix Campbell has uncovered government documents that show how medical evidence of childhood rape identified by pioneering paediatricians was deemed credible but ‘dangerous’ – it was more important to save money than save children. This book reveals how this secret has framed policy making and public opinion and the consequences it has had for children, professionals, justice and the state. The deaths of ‘national treasures’ Sir Jimmy Savile and Sir Cyril Smith led to a torrent of evidence of childhood suffering, the discovery of widespread sexual exploitation and institutional abuse across the world – all in plain sight. The Cleveland children have remained in the shadows. Now, for the first time, a Cleveland child delves into her records and shares her story.