A Child Abuse Survivors Group Community Group
We survived child abuse, but the pain still remains and so do the other effects which can last a lifetime. We are often unable to find adequate help, and we are seeking answers that can help us understand what happened so that we can go on to lead normal lives. (Please note that this is a group for child abuse survivors only. If you are a professional in the mental health...
Please add any information you have to our list, including websites and telephone numbers of organizations and individuals who provide services to child abuse survivors. You may also list books, support groups, and other resources helpful to survivors.
World Service Office
P.O. Box 190
Benson , MD 21018-9998
Phone: (410) 893-3322
http://www.siawso.org/
Survivors of Incest Anonymous (SIA) is a 12-step, self-help recovery program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues or fees. Confidentiality and anonymity are essential to the program. SIA is for men and women, 18 years and older, who were sexually abused as children.
The official website of Dave Pelzer, writer of several books including "A Child Called It," a story of severe child abuse suffered by the author.
1. Child Called It by Dave J. Pelzer
"This autobiographical account charts the abuse of a young boy as his alcoholic mother first isolates him from the rest of the family; then torments him; and finally nearly kills him through starvation, poisoning, and one dramatic stabbing."
2. Growing Up in the Care of Strangers: The Experiences, Insights and Recommendations of Eleven Former Foster Kids by Waln K. Brown
"A collection of 11 personal stories of foster care alumni who are now college-educated professionals and work with, research, write about and advocate on behalf of foster children, including their individual and collective recommendations for reforming the child welfare system."
3. Understanding Child Abuse & Neglect by Waln K. Brown
The list author says:
"This fundamental guide to understanding child abuse and neglect answers 20 important questions, explains how a case of child abuse or neglect is handled, contains valuable checklists and provides contact information for reporting suspected abuse or neglect."
4. Child Abuse: Implications for Child Development and Psychopathology (Developmental Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry) by David A. Wolfe
"In this book, the author describes the different types of abuse and discusses the influence they have on development and social consequences in childhood and adolescence."
5. Saving the Schizo Kid: Reflections on Divorce, Mental Health and Recovery by Waln Brown
"A lifetime ago, a 15-year-old boy finally surrendered to the war between his parents. He wished only to die, to be relieved of the pain that ate at his heart and mind, and had done so for what seemed forever. Saddled with the mistaken belief that he had caused his parents’ divorce and broken up his family, self-destruction ruled his emotions and behaviors, and altered his sense of reality.""
6. Child Abuse and Culture: Working with Diverse Families by Lisa Aronson Fontes
"Professionals and students learn new ways of thinking about their own cultural viewpoints as they gain critical skills for maximizing the accuracy of assessments for physical and sexual abuse; overcoming language barriers in parent and child interviews; respecting families' values and beliefs while ensuring children's safety; creating a welcoming agency environment; and more."
7. Death from Child Abuse... and No One Heard by Dana Weikel
"Readers are often deeply moved and motivated by this book. It enjoys a great popularity with young people and is highly valued by many educators and professional trainers."
8. About Child Sexual Abuse (Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention) by Waln K. Brown
The list author says:
"This fundamental guide to understanding child sexual abuse answers 20 important questions, explains how a case of child sexual abuse is handled, contains valuable checklists and provides contact information for reporting suspected sexual abuse."
9. Why Me? Help for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse (Even if they are adults now), Fourth Edition by Lynn Daugherty
"Find guidance from a trusted Clinical Psychologist. Understand important psychological concepts easily because they are presented in clear, everyday language. Feel understood and valued as you begin healing from the pain of child sexual abuse with this classic bestseller."
10. The Other Side of Delinquency by Waln Brown
"A "classic" memoir about a former juvenile delinquent, foster child and mental hospital patient who turned his life around, earned a Ph.D. and now studies the recovery process. Includes case records."
11. The Unbreakable Child by Kim Michele Richardson
"While the abuses of Catholic priests have been making headlines in recent years, little has been heard about mistreatment at the hands of nuns. Here Richardson, who was raised in a Catholic orphanage in Kentucky in the 1960s, recounts the horrors that she and countless other children endured there and takes readers on her journey to rid herself of the awful memories."
12. Emotional Abuse And Neglect Of Children (Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention) by Waln K. Brown
"This fundamental guide to understanding the emotional abuse and neglect of children answers 20 important questions, explains how a case of emotional child abuse or neglect is handled, contains valuable checklists and provides contact information for reporting suspected emotional abuse or neglect."
13. Unspeakable Acts: Why Men Sexually Abuse Children by Douglas W. Pryor
"Incorporating in-depth interviews with more than thirty convicted child molesters, Pryor explores how men become involved with breaking sexual boundaries with children."
14. Child Abuse 2E: Quick Reference for Healthcare, Social Service, and Law Enforcement Professionals by Angelo P. Giardino
"Designed for frontline professionals who do not have time to research a certain statistic or fact, this quick reference was cultivated from a larger peer-reviewed volume for those in need of immediate accessibility and highly practical information."
15. It's Just Not Fair: Explaining Violence And Abuse To Young Children (Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention) by Ruth P. Arent
"Violence and abuse destroy a child's faith in adults. Children need repeated assurance that they are not to blame. They want facts. This book tells that a victim can learn to trust again. It includes helpful suggestions to follow and numerous explanations that are seldom written for children."
16. The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (Jody Bergsma Collection) by Sandy Kleven
"The Right Touch reaches beyond the usual scope of a children's picture book. It is a parenting book that introduces a very difficult topic--the sexual abuse of young children. This gentle, thoughtful story can be read aloud to a child by any trusted caregiver."
17. Hush: Moving From Silence to Healing After Childhood Sexual Abuse by Nicole Braddock Bromley
"Nicole Braddock Bromley shares her own story and the steps to moving from silence to healing. Hush exposes the harsh realities of childhood abuse, explains the pain it causes, examines the false beliefs it creates, and empowers survivors to begin a personal journey toward healing by breaking the silence."
18. Child Incest (Child Abuse & Neglect) by Carle F. ONeil
"This fundamental guide to understanding child incest answers 20 important questions, explains how a case of child incest is handled, contains valuable checklists and provides contact information for reporting suspected child incest."
Some of the above books may be available at your local school, county, or city library. If you can't find a book you want at your library, you might ask the library staff if they can put it on their list of books to purchase.