Rape, Incest, and Sexual Harassment: A Guide for Helping Survivors

A working guide to the treatment of survivors of sexual victimization, this book treats rape, incest, and harassment as related forms of sexual abuse. It reviews present literature on the long-term effects of sexual assault and considers the services and support that survivors require. Covering a wide range of issues and treatment approaches, focus is placed on the older adolescent and adult. The phases of recovery followng sexual abuse are described together with the type of assistance most appropriate at each phase. The authors provide numerous case studies and emphasize the individuality of both survivor and response. This guide should be used by both professional and layperson to help the sexually abused transcend feelings of victimization. Rape, Incest, and Sexual Harassment discusses the issues raised by victimization. It then deals with the immediate aftermath of sexual abuse focusing on crisis intervention and advocacy with respect to emotional, medical, and legal needs. One section, devoted to counselors working with long-term effects on survivors, matches interventions to the individual client's needs and offers models for counseling frameworks. Special needs are also addressed. The book concludes with a look at the larger social problems associated with abuse and violence.