Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men [Hardcover]

Richard B. Gartner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1572304677 | ISBN-13: 978-1572304673 | Publication Date: April 9, 1999 | Edition: 1

More than one in six boys in the United States in 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-orientated 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Betrayed as Boys is a thoughtful and perceptive contribution. Dr. Gartner's voluminous and sensitive clinical material illuminates the difficulties, dilemmas, and rewards of working with sexually traumatized men. Here are insights and useful observations in abundance. This book belongs in the library of all clinicians who treat the victims of childhood sexual abuse." --Richard P. Kluft, MD Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Temple University School of Medicine, Co-editor, Clinical Perspectives on Multiple Personality Disorder

"This book helps to bring psychodynamic psychotherapy back to its roots, and to lift the veil that has too long obscured the childhood sexual abuse of males. It would be a useful text in a graduate course dealing with the treatment issues of males." --Mic Hunter, PsyD, author of Abused Boys, editor of The Sexually Abused Male

"This much-needed contribution to the trauma literature informs clinicians, researchers, and scholars about the tragic consequences for men who were sexually traumatized as boys. Gartner's presentation of extensive clinical vignettes bespeaks an author who is theoretically sophisticated and clinically experienced, and who has the courage to present his work forthrightly. The book is scholarly, beautifully written, and infused with an affectively gripping immediacy. It is an important and long-overdue resource for anyone interested in a more thorough understanding of the sexual abuse of boys and its sequelae." --Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, Nyack, NY, Treating the Adult Survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse

From the Publisher

NOTE: The comments I have entered as a Description were originally written a few years ago as part of an amazon author interview (or some other feature -- I don't recall which). They were mistakenly put onto the book page as an review without stars. Therefore they brought the book's ratings down. I have requested that they be removed as a review. I am also requesting that they be added as an author interview. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 349 pages
• Publisher: Guilford Press; 1 edition (April 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572304677
• ISBN-13: 978-1572304673
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #495,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Extrarodinary insight into the nuances of male sexuality, September 15, 1999

By 

Oliver Tessier (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men (Hardcover)

Gartner's work deconstructs sexuality in ways that a layman (like me) can understand. He then takes its components and explains how each of them is affected when a boy experiences sexual abuse. He shows us the myriad of possibilities a therapist might face in the adult who emerges from that abuse. And, bravely, he shows us the therapist as a human being who doubts, rejoices, struggles -- all while working in the (often highly charged) moment with the patient.

BETRAYED AS BOYS is an excellent, highly accessible distillation of vastly complex topic. And it's fascinating to read.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compassionate, wise, complex, and thorough, March 9, 2005

By 

Need to Read (Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men (Paperback)

As a sexually abused male, I turned to this book for some understanding of my reactions and how I was affected by my history. I was stunned by the breadth and depth of what I read. I saw myself on page after page. This book was written for professionals but, unlike many such books, it is completely accessible to an educated layman. I have never seen the research in this area put together in one place, especially with such dexterity and balance. This is not a simple area to understand, but Gartner does it justice, explaining complicated ideas in ways that make complete sense. The book's impact is heightened by the many complex, poignant, and compassionate case histories used throughout to illustrate his points. These stories vividly bring to life the ideas Gartner is describing, making the reader grasp the full extent of how sexual abuse affects boys and men, and why it affects different males differently. Some of the stories pack an incredible emootional wallop, but then so does sexual abuse. If you aren't satisfied with the simplistic bromides of "sexual abuse lite," then this is the book for you. Bravo!

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding review for male survivors of childhood abuse, August 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men (Hardcover)

Dr. Richard Gartner has compiled an excellent text that reviews the current literature of childhood abuse, its treatment & the hope for solace for the adult survivor. This is one of the first books directed at males (another excellent book is Victims No Longer). Complete with case summaries and indepth review of issues facing male survivors in their past & present lives, this book comes with my highest recommendation.