Counselling Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

A text which examines the problem of child sex abuse but focuses on the adult survivors of such abuse. It explores theories accounting for the occurrence of child sexual abuse, its traumatic effect on the child victims and the retrospective treatment of these victims.

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Increasing public awareness of incest and child sexual abuse has focused attention on the many children who suffer from the unwanted sexual attentions of fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, friends of the family, neighbours or youth leaders. Of necessity, priority is being given to helping those children that are currently being sexually abused. But although increasing numbers of children appear to be disclosing their abuse, there are probably many more children who do not, as well as the many who have grown to adulthood without ever disclosing their abuse. Although little research has been specifically directed at retrospective treatment intervention with adult survivors, its importance is beginning to be recognized. "Counselling Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse" examines the theories which attempt to account for the occurrence of child sexual abuse, explains the traumatic impact of child sexual abuse, and looks at the ways in which these effects can be ameliorated and the adult healed.
Treatment techniques and the role of the counsellor in employing these techniques are also discussed in such a way that the counsellor can make use of the book not only as a review of current theory, but also as a practical handbook for use with clients who may be adult survivors of child sexual abuse.