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Designed for use along with Treatment Strategies for Abused Adolescents therapist manual, this activity manual is accessibly directed toward the adolescent in a therapeutic setting healing from early physical, sexual, or emotional trauma. Addressing the critical need for materials designed for this age group, Cheryl L. Karp, Traci L. Butler, and Sage C. Bergstrom present a four-stage approach to recovery that includes building a therapeutic relationship, incorporating corrective and reparative experiences during the abuse-focused portion of treatment, repairing the sense of self, and becoming more "future oriented." The trauma resolution activities in this book are interesting, well-planned out, and developmentally structured. Each chapter begins with an introduction skillfully and sensitively addressed to the adolescent. Together with the therapist manual, this activity manual is a welcome and timely package for therapists who often find frustration and dead-ends when searching for publications that are age-appropriate for this group of young people.

Helping teens to work through trauma resolution and emerge as healthy survivors can prove frustrating for therapists who find there is so little material or references available for this age group. By adolescence, boys and girls have already identified themselves with the role of victim and skilled support is required if they are to move beyond their perceived helplessness to achieve a real sense of empowerment and control of their lives. As an outgrowth of their own professional struggles with this issue, Cheryl L. Karp, Traci L. Butler, and Sage C. Bergstrom have compiled Treatment Strategies for Abused Adolescents and the accompanying activity manual, which together provide a practical and accessible package of theory and hands-on activities, specifically designed for use by practitioners in either individual or group settings. Case studies are included in each chapter of the treatment manual to demonstrate just how some of the activities have been used in actual therapeutic situations and the authors highlight their four-phase approach to recovery that covers building the therapeutic relationship, processing the abuse, repairing the sense of self, and becoming more "future oriented." Providing the major tools needed to successfully work with this age group as they journey toward healing, Treatment Strategies for Abused Adolescents and its companion activity manual are truly a must-have package for mental health practitioners as well as advanced students and interns who work with physically, sexually, and emotionally abused teenagers.

Helping teens to work through trauma resolution and emerge as healthy survivors can prove frustrating for therapists who find there is so little material or references available for this age group. By adolescence, boys and girls have already identified themselves with the role of victim and skilled support is required if they are to move beyond their perceived helplessness to achieve a real sense of empowerment and control of their lives. As an outgrowth of their own professional struggles with this issue, Cheryl L. Karp, Traci L. Butler, and Sage C. Bergstrom have compiled Treatment Strategies for Abused Adolescents and the accompanying activity manual, which together provide a practical and accessible package of theory and hands-on activities, specifically designed for use by practitioners in either individual or group settings. Case studies are included in each chapter of the treatment manual to demonstrate just how some of the activities have been used in actual therapeutic situations and the authors highlight their four-phase approach to recovery that covers building the therapeutic relationship, processing the abuse, repairing the sense of self, and becoming more "future oriented." Providing the major tools needed to successfully work with this age group as they journey toward healing, Treatment Strategies for Abused Adolescents and its companion activity manual are truly a must-have package for mental health practitioners as well as advanced students and interns who work with physically, sexually, and emotionally abused teenagers.

Child Abuse brings together experts in both physical abuse and sexual abuse to create one of the few volumes that has addressed innovative approaches to treatment and prevention in these two areas. The resulting compendium of information provides insights into the current psychological perspectives on the causes and treatment of different forms of child maltreatment as well as the delivery of early intervention and prevention services. The book begins in the first part with a conceptual overview of the effect of physical abuse on the life course of children and adults. Chapters on physical abuse also examine recent findings related to child abuse offenders, children who witness domestic violence, treatment of abusive adults, and prevention programs aimed at dating adolescents and pregnant women. Contributors focusing on child sexual abuse note new approaches to the delivery of treatment services for these children as well as current developments in the interface between abuse victims and the court system. Considering the needs of both adult survivors and children, Child Abuse also discusses how child maltreatment interventions can be integrated into broader intervention services. An ideal book for use in professional training and development, Child Abuse will also guide policymakers at state and national levels to emerging new models and programs. This volume is likewise a useful resource for researchers and practitioners in social work, clinical/counseling psychology, mental health, and public health.

Experts in both child physical and sexual abuse are brought together in this volume, which focuses on both child and adult survivors. Contributors explore innovative treatment and prevention approaches, such as school and community violence prevention programmes, and preparation of children who have to testify in court.

Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome (MBPS), a form of child abuse in which a caretaker--usually a mother--fabricates and/or induces illness in a child, is one of the least understood forms of child abuse and mental illness. Examining the current knowledge about the manifestations and consequences of this perplexing behavior, Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome assists all professionals working with chronically ill children in identifying and intervening with this bizarre and often deadly form of abuse. Drawing from their firsthand experience with the complexities of such cases, the editors and contributors address critical issues of not only identification and assessment but also longterm psychotherapy. Therapy with the mother/perpetrator has traditionally been markedly unsuccessful, but this book provides a much-needed framework for the successful treatment of acknowledged perpetrators. Emphasizing the important role of efficient multidisciplinary cooperation in handling MBPS cases, Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome also features perspectives from experts in the fields of medicine, child protection, education, social work, hospital administration, and law. Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome demystifies the mother/perpetrator's deception and gives professionals the knowledge to save children from induced life-threatening illnesses and consequent medical procedures. Professionals, academics, researchers, and students in a variety of fields, including clinical/counseling psychology, social work, nursing/health sciences, criminal justice, and law, will need the information presented in this book to help stop this form of abuse.

Featuring cutting-edge information from the international arena, Out of the Darkness pulls together into one seminal volume the work of emerging scholars and key figures in the field. Edited by Glenda Kaufman Kantor and Jana Jasinski, this book provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary package of the newest generation of investigation and theory. Professionals and researchers in child welfare, mental health, and criminal justice fields will want to read this book to keep up with the latest controversial topics; international studies; theory, methods, assessment, and interventions; and ethical and cultural issues related to both child and partner abuse. Chapters address pressing questions such as: Is wife abuse declining? Are child homicides increasing? Does couple treatment work in violent marriages? From this volume several noteworthy findings emerge, including the wide variations in the forms, types, and consequences of abuse; the need for support and change in both victim and batterer behaviors; the overdue move toward expertise and sensitivity when dealing with affected populations; and much more. Out of the Darkness makes a contribution to the field on a par with other classics. It is a must read for advanced students, researchers, practitioners, activists, and policymakers concerned with any or all aspects of family violence.

Featuring cutting-edge information from the international arena, Out of the Darkness pulls together into one seminal volume the work of emerging scholars and key figures in the field. Edited by Glenda Kaufman Kantor and Jana Jasinski, this book provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary package of the newest generation of investigation and theory. Professionals and researchers in child welfare, mental health, and criminal justice fields will want to read this book to keep up with the latest controversial topics; international studies; theory, methods, assessment, and interventions; and ethical and cultural issues related to both child and partner abuse. Chapters address pressing questions such as: Is wife abuse declining? Are child homicides increasing? Does couple treatment work in violent marriages? From this volume several noteworthy findings emerge, including the wide variations in the forms, types, and consequences of abuse; the need for support and change in both victim and batterer behaviors; the overdue move toward expertise and sensitivity when dealing with affected populations; and much more. Out of the Darkness makes a contribution to the field on a par with other classics. It is a must read for advanced students, researchers, practitioners, activists, and policymakers concerned with any or all aspects of family violence.

Reducing the odds of further victimization by a convicted child molester requires a clear understanding of the offender's process and his or her ability to manipulate victims. With more than 25 years of experience in the field working with every type of child molester, Eric Leberg provides the information vital to recognizing the offender's patterns of deception and - just as important - how to respond with appropriate interventions or preventive measures. A basic yet comprehensive overview that is easy to read, Understanding Child Molesters uses cases and anecdotes to highlight and reinforce important issues and concepts. A valuable resource for those who deal with offenders regularly - including nonoffending parents, other family members, employers and professionals and students who will work in the field - this book covers:

· information on the sex offender evaluation report, pre-sentence investigation report, and criminal history records

· legal and ethical means of obtaining information on the offender

· how the criminal justice system works and how it affects offenders

· suggestions on how to utilize the criminal justice system as a resource in preventing revictimization and/or reestablishing new relationships with convicted sex offenders.

Understanding Child Molesters will answer many of the general public?s pressing questions about the sex offenders that can threaten their children?s well-being. Professionals, practitioners, and students new to the field of child abuse - a multidisciplinary mix including those from mental health, corrections, law and law enforcement - will also find the book an invaluable introduction to current issues surrounding sex offenders and victimization. 

With increased media attention, issues of family violence have been steadily moving out of the shadows and into the arenas of research, prevention, intervention, and public awareness. However, sibling abuseùlargely unrecognized and unaddressedùremains behind the closed doors of "family privacy." Often excused by parents as "kids will be kids" behavior, the symptoms of this form of abuse go undetected and its devastating effects on the victim are ignored. Sibling Abuse, Second Edition provides insight into this form of abuse and carefully describes the range of abusive behaviors perpetrated among siblings. Along with personal accounts by adult survivors, this completely updated book describes appropriate steps for parents to take in order to evaluate and respond to their childrenÆs abusive interactions. A new chapter on current techniques of assessment and treatment also helps therapists or counselors work to end this problem. Lively yet reinforced by the latest research, Sibling Abuse, Second Edition offers comprehensive coverage of a subject not reflected much in the literatureùyet. Written for human services professionals, WieheÆs book will also make an excellent supplement for advanced students in social work, sociology, psychology, nursing, education, and family studies. Parents may also want to inform themselves by reading this book.

With increased media attention, issues of family violence have been steadily moving out of the shadows and into the arenas of research, prevention, intervention, and public awareness. However, sibling abuseùlargely unrecognized and unaddressedùremains behind the closed doors of "family privacy." Often excused by parents as "kids will be kids" behavior, the symptoms of this form of abuse go undetected and its devastating effects on the victim are ignored. Sibling Abuse, Second Edition provides insight into this form of abuse and carefully describes the range of abusive behaviors perpetrated among siblings. Along with personal accounts by adult survivors, this completely updated book describes appropriate steps for parents to take in order to evaluate and respond to their childrenÆs abusive interactions. A new chapter on current techniques of assessment and treatment also helps therapists or counselors work to end this problem. Lively yet reinforced by the latest research, Sibling Abuse, Second Edition offers comprehensive coverage of a subject not reflected much in the literatureùyet. Written for human services professionals, WieheÆs book will also make an excellent supplement for advanced students in social work, sociology, psychology, nursing, education, and family studies. Parents may also want to inform themselves by reading this book.

Personal and professional biases can sometimes interfere with objective judgment, particularly in the case of child maltreatment, which often evokes powerful reactions and extreme emotions upon its discovery. Authors Helene Jackson and Ronald Nuttall identify how gender, age, discipline, individual core belief systems, and case factors can affect a personAEs perception of sexual abuse allegations, thus possibly compromising the accuracy of an investigationAEs findings. An innovative resource, Childhood Abuse alerts professionals to the existence of this bias and works toward improving efforts to recognize the victims of sexual abuse. While examining the impact of working with victims of both physical and sexual abuse on the lives of mental health professionals, this book encourages professionals to heighten their self-awareness as a part of their training. The authors present a survey designed to bring the reader "into focus" with regard to his or her own potential for bias. In addition, recommendations for more objective and effective practice, training and education, and future research make this book an important resource. Childhood Abuse is a timely volume for all health care professionals and practitioners who work with child abuse. This book will be especially valuable as a supplement in training students and interns for careers in mental health and health care fields.

Drawing on original research, this book provides a major critique of contemporary child protection research, policy and practice. In particular, it challenges current attempts to reorder priorities and reconstruct the balance between family support and child protection. In the process, it provides a unique insight into the nature of child protection work and the way practitioners respond to the inherent tensions and difficulties involved. It is essential reading for anyone interested in this major personal and social issue.

Kept in a dungeon for his entire childhood, Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1828 at age sixteen, barely able to walk or talk. When he was killed in 1833, his true identity and the motives for his unsolved murder became the subjects of intense speculation. This provocative essay sheds new light on this mystery and delves into fundamental questions about the long-term effects of child abuse.

Hearing the Internal Trauma offers therapists an innovative clinical model for understanding what happens within a sexually abused child. Combining the latest research findings in child development, early attachment, sexual abuse, and trauma with extensive clinical experience, this clearly written book assists therapists in not only recognizing signs of a child or adolescent's abuse but also developing effective therapeutic interventions. Author Sandra Wieland first provides a clear description of how children and adolescents present themselves in therapy, identifying how distress from abuse can be exhibited in their play, conversation, and behavior. Then, using a carefully balanced combination of psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive therapies, Wieland imparts a psychodynamic trauma-focused therapy designed especially for abused children and adolescents. Including illustrative case examples of play or conversation as well as the therapist's thought processes, the book describes therapy with children, adolescents, and their nonperpetrator or perpetrator parents. Also included is a thoughtful discussion of the effects a therapist's own experiences and internalizations can have on the therapy process. Easy to read yet thought-provoking, Hearing the Internal Trauma is ideal for therapists, social workers, mental health practitioners, and interns working with this client population. Advanced students will also find the book instructional and enlightening.

Hearing the Internal Trauma offers therapists an innovative clinical model for understanding what happens within a sexually abused child. Combining the latest research findings in child development, early attachment, sexual abuse, and trauma with extensive clinical experience, this clearly written book assists therapists in not only recognizing signs of a child or adolescent's abuse but also developing effective therapeutic interventions. Author Sandra Wieland first provides a clear description of how children and adolescents present themselves in therapy, identifying how distress from abuse can be exhibited in their play, conversation, and behavior. Then, using a carefully balanced combination of psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive therapies, Wieland imparts a psychodynamic trauma-focused therapy designed especially for abused children and adolescents. Including illustrative case examples of play or conversation as well as the therapist's thought processes, the book describes therapy with children, adolescents, and their nonperpetrator or perpetrator parents. Also included is a thoughtful discussion of the effects a therapist's own experiences and internalizations can have on the therapy process. Easy to read yet thought-provoking, Hearing the Internal Trauma is ideal for therapists, social workers, mental health practitioners, and interns working with this client population. Advanced students will also find the book instructional and enlightening.

Child witnesses pose unique challenges to the legal system, and courtrooms are daunting and alien to children. Timely and truly international in scope, this volume focuses on the techniques and procedures used to accommodate child witnesses in legal systems in countries around the world and on the research investigating the effectiveness and implications of those techniques. Featuring the work of renowned scholars from the international psycholegal community, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony not only provides support for all countries seeking to broaden their approach to child psychology and law but also promotes justice where child protection is virtually unknown. Special emphasis is given to techniques currently in use and under investigation in the United States as well as the U.S. applicability of techniques and procedures used in other countries. At a time when issues surrounding children's testimony are under close scrutiny, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony provides outstanding findings and guidelines for researchers and practitioners in psychology, medicine, criminology/law, social policy, and social work as well as advanced students in these and related fields.

Child witnesses pose unique challenges to the legal system, and courtrooms are daunting and alien to children. Timely and truly international in scope, this volume focuses on the techniques and procedures used to accommodate child witnesses in legal systems in countries around the world and on the research investigating the effectiveness and implications of those techniques. Featuring the work of renowned scholars from the international psycholegal community, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony not only provides support for all countries seeking to broaden their approach to child psychology and law but also promotes justice where child protection is virtually unknown. Special emphasis is given to techniques currently in use and under investigation in the United States as well as the U.S. applicability of techniques and procedures used in other countries. At a time when issues surrounding children's testimony are under close scrutiny, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony provides outstanding findings and guidelines for researchers and practitioners in psychology, medicine, criminology/law, social policy, and social work as well as advanced students in these and related fields.

How do you intervene in abusive and neglectful families or prevent maltreatment in families at risk? How can you find the answers you need in the overwhelming array of information now available on the subject? In Working with Child Abuse and Neglect, author Vernon R. Wiehe helps you focus by evaluating a wealth of references to current published literature and pinpointing the practical applications that put these findings into action. Condensing the explosion of knowledge about child maltreatment into one provoking yet accessible primer, Wiehe first offers a historical perspective on child maltreatment and an assessment of the scope of the problem. He also discusses theoretical perspectives for understanding the problem and specific treatment and prevention techniques. Information on state and national organizations working in the field illustrates not only the size of the problem but also the mobilized efforts to stem child abuse and neglect. As well as a balanced introduction, Working with Child Abuse and Neglect serves as a springboard to important sources of additional knowledge. Ideal for upper-division undergraduates as well as graduate students, and anyone in the helping professions who is beginning to work with victimized children, Working with Child Abuse and Neglect provides a sound assessment of the state of the literature and application in this expanding area of study and practice. In addition, the handy reference value of this volume will appeal in particular to social workers, counseling and clinical psychologists, and nurses.

Ross A. Thompson's social-policy expertise illuminates the limitations of formulating a child protection policy agenda on current research without concern for the specific populations to be served. Thompson details an ambitious agenda for child welfare reform by calling for a multistrategy approach, with specific reference to the 1990 proposals of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, with which he has been intimately connected. . . . This masterful work weaves together theory and application about how to prevent child maltreatment. Good references. Upper-division undergraduates and above. --Choice Recently, there has been considerable interest in providing social support to abuse-prone families as a means of preventing child abuse and neglect. Partly due to both reports that social support programs can indeed help parents and the theoretical underpinnings of these programs, social support has become the cause celebre among those who are seeking more effective new avenues to abuse prevention. However, many important issues must be considered in translating this general idea into effective public policy initiatives related to abuse prevention. Preventing Child Maltreatment Through Social Support carefully considers the various factors affecting the success of social support programs and provides the path to designing effective--and enduring--interventions. Offering the reader a critical analysis of current research concerning social networks and functions of social support, this perceptive book fosters an understanding of maltreatment, socially isolated families, and the dynamics of help giving and receiving. Ross A. Thompson moves deftly from theory to practice, including detailed lessons from applications such as home visitation and other intensive family strategies. This volume stimulates thinking about integrating research, policy, and practice, and in a progressive move, envisions social support within the larger context of child welfare reform. Dedicated to making social support programs theoretically grounded and thus able to withstand the rigor of application, this book provides a much-needed resource to practitioners, researchers, and students in social work, family studies, nursing/public health, and clinical and counseling psychology as well as educators and policy makers. "I am very impressed with Preventing Child Maltreatment Through Social Support. I think Ross A. Thompson has tackled a complex and important subject, producing a book that both practitioners and policymakers will find useful in their efforts to construct more effective programs to prevent child abuse. This book fills a unique gap in the child abuse prevention literature." --Deborah Daro, Director, Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research, Chicago "This book provides a coherent road map to the role of social support in dealing with the problem of child maltreatment. It is well researched and well thought out in every respect. Preventing Child Maltreatment Through Social Support is well digested intellectually: It covers the material in detail but is not overcome by detail." --James Garbarino, Director, Family Life Development Center, Cornell University

The book is a very positive contribution to a thoughtful understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of mandated reporting. Although the general thrust of the discussion leaves one frustrated with the reality of the unintended consequences of these laws meant to protect and/or benefit children, the authors also provide examples of how mental health providers have used these laws for positive effects. This book should be read by anyone in the business of treating children and families. --Doody's Health Sciences Book Review Journal Therapists and counselors often grapple with the requirements of mandated reporting laws, which are in part responsible for the veritable explosion of child maltreatment reports received by child protection during the last decade. Concerned with the impact of mandated reporting on the confidential psychotherapeutic relationship, the authors of this timely analysis address the challenges of balancing the law and the counseling process. Focused interviews with therapists and child protection workers as well as the results from a national mail survey of licensed clinical psychologists reflect reporting issues as manifested in real-life situations. Out of these experiences, the authors sculpt practical clinical strategies, an assessment of both the positive and negative effects of mandated reporting, and suggested considerations of practice and policy implications. Both therapists and child protection workers will find that this volume addresses the issues of reporting faced on a consistent basis. The Impact of Mandated Reporting on the Therapeutic Process also offers support and insight into complexities soon to be confronted by recent psychology, social work, and counseling graduates, advanced students, and interns. "Well written and interesting. . . . The questions of whether and how reports of suspected child maltreatment should be made are ones with which clinicians often struggle. . . . This study joins a remarkably sparse literature about the experiences of the various actors in the child protection system and about the role of mental health professionals within that system. I will be glad to have the book on my shelf." --Gary B. Melton, Director, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia "This is a timely work because the considerable costs and high proportion of unsubstantiated reports have created growing concerns in the field that mandatory child abuse reporting laws may be casting too wide a net. . . . The authors have produced a first-rate piece of work that performs a real service for the field. They illuminate the implications of mandated reporting in a way that students, therapists, and CPS workers will find tremendously useful. Policymakers will also benefit from these insights." --Neil Gilbert, School of Social Welfare, University of

from the Foreword: Possibly the heartless treatment of children, from the practice of infanticide and abandonment through to the neglect, the rigors of swaddling, the purposeful starving, the beatings, the solitary confinement, and so on, was and is only one aspect of the basic aggressiveness and cruelty of human nature, of the inbred disregard of the rights and feelings of others. Children, being physically unable to resist aggression, were the victims of forces over which they had no control, and they were abused in many imaginable and some almost unimaginable ways by way of expressing conscious or more commonly unconscious motives of their elders... The present volume abounds in evidence of all kinds, from all periods and peoples. The story is monotonously painful, but it is high time that it should be told and that it should be taken into account...

Designed for professionals in the field of child maltreatment, this authoritative book presents a compelling theoretical framework that guide?s assessment of children and adolescents who have been sexually abused and their parents. The book is designed to make it easier for clinicians to select a number of measures or procedures across three dimensions that have considerable clinical relevance ? attachment, dysregulations, and self-perception. Psychological Assessment of Sexually Abused Children and Their Families features in particular the assessment of sexually aggressive children and an extensive set of interview formats, checklists, and other forms that clinicians will find especially useful in evaluating children and their families. The book is also richly illustrated with case studies.

A beautiful foreword by Eliana Gil and a very helpful preface and introduction by the editor, Lisa Aronson Fontes, elucidate the many ways in which culture is relevant to sexual abuse. They set the personal tone and the fresh scholarly information that characterizes the chapters. The reader is treated to an impressive, state-of-the-art array of ideas on culture that opens new avenues for inquiry. The book also offers a new repertoire of rituals and healing practices, such as 'sitting shiva' to deal with the losses of sexual abuse for the Jewish family, or a version of 'dusmic' (a term coined by Nuyorican poets) strength to empower Puerto Rican clients. . . . From a practical point of view, this book belongs on the office shelf of all individual and family therapists. They will obtain rich guidance about treatment approaches, therapist-client cultural matching, and prevention strategies that are both more humane and more effective because they are culturally attuned and deepen the knowledge of the cultural context of abuse. --Celia Jaes Falicov in Journal of Marriage and Family Therapy (forthcoming issue) "The overall effect of this edited volume reflects a sense of unity and teamwork. The writing is thorough and thought-provoking. It maintains consistency and originality, while presenting individual issues about the influence of unique cultural factors in working with abuse survivors." --Paula T. McWhirter in Contemporary Psychology "This volume of original chapters is an important contribution to understanding the relationship between culture and child sexual abuse. Lisa Aronson Fontes has edited a thought-provoking collection of papers along with an excellent foreword by Eliana Gil. . . . This book has much to recommend it, not only to the clinician to whom it is geared, but also to the researcher, the policy maker, and the wider community concerned with child sexual abusee." --Jill E. Korbin in Child Abuse & Neglect "The book makes an important contribution to cross-cultural awareness and widens the limited knowledge base about child sexual abuse within the cultural groups concerned. . . . The text promotes 'an ecosystemic approach to sexual abuse' that takes into account individual, familial, cultural, and societal factors. Therapists, protective workers, and law enforcers, as well as legal, medical, and school personnel and policymakers should find this book a useful tool." --Fred Seligman in READINGS: A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health How can we best prevent and treat sexual abuse in diverse populations? Cultural and linguistic misunderstandings, racism, and even homophobia sometimes lead professionals to mishandle issues of sexual abuse. This volume breaks new ground in suggesting ways in which cultural norms can be used to protect children and promote recovery from sexual abuse. It contains information that can be applied to people from all groups as well as nine solution-focused chapters on sexual abuse in the following specific groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, Anglo Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cambodians, Seventh Day Adventists, Jews, gay men, and lesbian women. Sexual Abuse in Nine North American Cultures is the first major work to address cultural issues in family violence. It is essential reading for advanced students, therapists, protective workers, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, attorneys, police, educators, and others interested in adults and children who have been sexually abused. "Sexual Abuse in Nine North American Cultures has been masterfully sculpted to give us individual perceptions of cultures by professionals who were influenced by and who currently provide services to families and communities in distress. . . . This volume is provocative, personal, and professional; it is both abstract and concrete. It struggles with how to discuss the diversity within cultures without wavering from its overall goal of providing basic historical premises for diverse cultures. . . . It also provides an uncharacteristic view of culture that reaches beyond race and ethnicity. . . . The contribution of the book is not only in the information it so aptly presents but also in the way it encourages the reader to think and in the assertion that clinicians must enlighten and empower themselves when working cross-culturally, approaching issues of culture with rigorous attention and sensitivity." --from the Foreword by Eliana Gil "By drawing on these resources, clinicians optimize their chances of meeting their stated goal: to be of assistance to families so that the quality of their lives is improved and children are safe and nurtured." --from the Foreword by Eliana Gil