Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey for Women [Hardcover]

Karen A. Duncan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2004

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Karen Duncan has written a gem of a book. She took her 21 years of clinical experience and study and created an effective treatment program for women who were sexually abused as children. The book offers a wealth of information and support--particularly about the issue of disclosing the sexual abuse to family members and others. I highly recommend it to survivors and their advocates. Professionals working with this population will find the book particularly valuable."-Beverly Engel, M.F.T. author of The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse, and Partners in Recovery

Review

"Karen Duncan has written a gem of a book. She took her 21 years of clinical experience and study and created an effective treatment program for women who were sexually abused as children. The book offers a wealth of information and support--particularly about the issue of disclosing the sexual abuse to family members and others. I highly recommend it to survivors and their advocates. Professionals working with this population will find the book particularly valuable."

(

Beverly Engel, M.F.T., author of The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse, and Partners in Recovery

) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Praeger (August 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275980847
• ISBN-13: 978-0275980849
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #982,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen is passionate about preventing child sexual abuse and assuring that children and teens have a healthy and safe family to grow up in where they are protected and nurtured. As a clinician she has dedicated her career in helping others who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse to live free of abuse and violence.

Since the publication of her first book "Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey for Women" her message of hope, healing and recovery has been heard around the country through speaking engagements and professional trainings. She has been interviewed by CNN, the Today Show, Indianapolis Woman, and local television and radio.

Karen is the recipient of the 2008 Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award from the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Violence and was named 2005 Social Worker of the Year for Region 7 from the National Association of Social Workers-Indiana Chapter. Karen serves on the State of Indiana's Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Council through the Indiana Department of Health, Office of Women's Health and helped to develop Indiana's first statewide initiative in the prevention of sexual violence. Karen is also a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Mental Health Counseling and serves on the Advisory Board for the Indiana Women's Prison.

Her new book "Female Sexual Predators: Understanding and Identifying Them to Protect Our Children and Youth" is due to be released in August 2010 by Praeger Publishing a division of ABC-CLIO Publishing. She believes we cannot prevent sexual abuse and family violence by holding to gender stereotypes. Her recent article on preventing sexual abuse in schools was published by Indianapolis Woman Magazine.

As the youngest of 14 children Karen was inspired by her mother to move beyond the poverty and abuse experienced in her childhood. She credits her mother's personal faith and a belief that all things are possible as the motivation to move beyond the traumas of her own childhood and to achieve her personal dream of love, happiness and fulfillment, and a healthy and safe family for her son, Andy. Visit her online at : www.theright2besafe.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Jour, August 29, 2004

By 

Mickey - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey for Women (Hardcover)

As a woman healing from sexual abuse I found this book to be a very helpful resource. The information in this book answered many of the questions that I had and "normalized" many of my feelings. The case studies and letters from other women gave insight and hope that the healing from this trauma is indeed possible. This book is different from others I have read and it is one I would highly recommend. I hope to find more works by this author to continue my healing.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, November 29, 2004

By 

S. RICHEY - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey for Women (Hardcover)

This is the best book for women suffering from childhood sexual abuse. It gives women what most other books about sexual abuse are missing, HOPE. I would recommend this book to all women of childhood sexual abuse.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healing Is Possible, August 20, 2005

By 

Ms. J. E. Drew "J. DREW" (UNITED KINGDOM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey for Women (Hardcover)

The author has written an excellent book on childhood sexual abuse. The author provides excellent information on the fact that not all survivors experience the same feelings of trauma and shame. It is not victim-blaming but clearly shows that many survivors resist being labelled "victim." One of the best parts is the section on finding a suitable therapist. It is supportive and by using case studies shows that when the survivor is ready regardless of age, they can heal from their past. The author is empathetic to women survivors and provides a variety of tehchniques survivors can use on their journey to healing.