One summer day, Margaux Fragoso meets Peter Curran at the neighborhood swimming pool, and they begin to play. She is seven; he is fifty-one. When Peter invites her and her mother to his house, the little girl finds a child's paradise of exotic pets and an elaborate backyard garden. Her mother, beset by mental illness and overwhelmed by caring for Margaux, is grateful for the attention Peter lavishes on her, and he creates an imaginative universe for her, much as Lewis Carroll did for his real-life Alice.
In time, he insidiously takes on the role of Margaux's playmate, father, and lover. Charming and manipulative, Peter burrows into every aspect of Margaux's life and transforms her from a child fizzing with imagination and affection into a brainwashed young woman on the verge of suicide. But when she is twenty-two, it is Peter--ill, and wracked with guilt--who kills himself, at the age of sixty-six.
Told with lyricism, depth, and mesmerizing clarity, "Tiger, Tiger "vividly illustrates the healing power of memory and disclosure. This extraordinary memoir is an unprecedented glimpse into the psyche of a young girl in free fall and conveys to readers--including parents and survivors of abuse--just how completely a pedophile enchants his victim and binds her to him.

Richard McCann's account of his childhood became a massive UK bestseller. In it he told the harrowing story of how he and his sisters were left motherless when the Yorkshire Ripper killed his first victim, Richard's mother Wilma McCann. Just A Boy was praised for its unflinching and unself-pitying account of a neglected childhood at the hands of an abusive father and uncaring authorities. The Boy Grows Up is an account of how Richard used the success of Just A Boy to try and save his sister, and of his attempts to make sense of his past whilst learning more about the effects of traumatic childhoods and loss.

You're not going home. You're not going anywhere. You're mine now. Growing up in a deeply troubled family, 15-year-old Anna felt lost and alone in the world. So when a friendly taxi driver befriended her, Anna welcomed the attention, and agreed to go home with him to meet his family. She wouldn't escape for over a decade. Held captive by a sadistic paedophile, Anna was subjected to despicable levels of sexual abuse and torture. The unrelenting violence and degradation resulted in numerous miscarriages, and the birth of four babies... each one stolen away from Anna at birth. Her salvation arrived thirteen years too late, but despite her shattered mind and body, Anna finally managed to flee. This is her harrowing, yet uplifting, true story of survival.

An abused little girl desperate for someone to love her, and the foster carer who refused to give up on her. A heartbreaking true story by Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley. Perfect for fans of Cathy Glass, Casey Watson, Angela Hart and Rosie Lewis. ***** Abused, starved and neglected. Ruth was a little ghost of a girl when she arrived into foster mother Maggie Hartley's care. As soon as Ruth arrived on her doorstep, it was clear to foster carer Maggie Hartley that Ruth had seen and experienced things that no 11-year-old should have to. Pale, frail and withdrawn, Ruth had been conditioned to 'see no evil, speak no evil'. Raised by a cruel stepmother and father, Ruth had been abused, underfed and ignored, while her half-siblings lived a life of luxury. Ruth is in desperate need of help, but can Maggie get through to her and unlock the harrowing secret she carries? With no one left in the world to love Ruth, it's up to Maggie to help her find her voice; to be a ghost no more, and bring those who've harmed her to justice. An uplifting and ultimately redemptive read, perfect for fans of Cathy Glass, Casey Watson, Angela Hart and Rosie Lewis.

In this moving and authoritative work which combines dedicated research and interviews with victims of childhood abuse and neglect, psychotherapist Linda Sanford passionately refutes the received wisdom that such people are trapped in a vicious circle of abuse and will probably become perpetrators of violence themselves. In more than seventeen years of working with victims and survivors, she discovered that this simplistic formula is far from true. Most survivors, in her experience, break free from the patterns of victimization and abuse and go on to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. And the more than twenty interviewed in depth by Sanford provide vivid proof that full recovery is possible. As they discuss key issues, such as self-image, intimacy, work and spirituality, we come to see what enables them, and countless others like them, to triumph over trauma and become not only strong, but often strongest where they've been most injured- strong at the broken places.

Intended for practitioners, researchers, and students interested in contemporary perspectives on child sexual abuse, this volume offers a description of current Canadian research and intervention efforts on topics that include treatment for young victims, understanding mothers of children who have been sexually abused, grooming patterns of offenders, family systems approaches to treatment, criminal prosecution in child sexual abuse cases, and the use of community notification programs.

The developmental challenges of children with special needs means they are often more at risk of physical or emotional exploitation. This book provides invaluable tools to help parents, carers and teachers protect vulnerable children. Difficult topics are sensitively and straightforwardly addressed through step-by-step guidelines for parents and learning activities for children. Guidance to carers includes information on how to identify warning signs of abuse, and recognise tell-tale behaviour changes in their child. Intervention activities help children learn which adults to trust and how to stay safe, while reducing the fear, shame or stigma surrounding abuse. Aimed at ages 5-12, these learning devices have been specifically designed to meet a range of comprehension and developmental abilities, with instructions for parents to adapt them to meet the specific needs of their child. This important guidebook empowers adults to fulfil their responsibility to protect and support children, and to provide a safe environment in which every child can reach their highest potential free from coercion or abuse.

As a survivor of sexual abuse in childhood, you may find that its effects continue to haunt you - bringing guilt and shame, perhaps depression and anxiety, eating disorders, troubled relationships and sexual difficulties. But although you can't alter the past, you can change the present and the future. Breaking Free, by Kay Toon and Carolyn Ainscough, draws on their nationally recognized and pioneering work as clinical psychologists giving a voice to the Survivors of child sexual abuse. It uses their courage and experiences to help other survivors face their past and take steps towards a better future. This new edition of the accompanying workbook now refers to types of abuse that have come to light more recently, such as street exploitation, and abuse by celebrities, politicians and football coaches, as well as the use of digital technology to groom children and young people. Practical exercises work step-by-step on the problems that result from being sexually abused as a child. They are designed to present survivors with different ways to think about the past, and to arm you with new strategies to move on from the problems that disrupt the present, and look forward to the future. Exercises like these can be very beneficial, but they can also be painful. They can bring up strong feelings, so at every stage your safety and well-being are the first concern, and the book includes essential coping strategies for getting the level of support you need. This practical book will be enormously useful for survivors of sexual abuse, and may also help those who have been abused emotionally or physically. Therapists will also find it a useful resource to use with clients, and both this book and Breaking Free are regularly recommended by professionals in the NHS and also in the media.

By the age of thirteen, vulnerable Sheffield teenager Samantha Owens had fallen through the cracks in the care system. Bounced around numerous foster carers after her home life became too chaotic, Samantha thought she had found a friend in the streetwise Amanda Spencer. The older girl bought her clothes, styled her hair and found her places to stay. Samantha's welfare was the last thing on Spencer's mind, however, as in reality she was grooming the young girl for exploitation of the worst possible kind. Over the course of the next few months, Samantha was plied with alcohol and drugs and pimped out to over fifty men for Spencer's gain. Raped, abused, and with no chance of escape, Samantha was at the mercy of the calculating, ruthless and intimidating Spencer. It took a police investigation of two years to bring her and a small gang of cohorts to justice and, in 2014, Spencer was jailed for twelve years. With her abusers in jail, and Samantha bravely rebuilding her life, her shocking story is a stark warning to those who believe child sexual abuse follows any set pattern.

How do you stop your past from determining your future? "It's what daddies do with their little girls," he explains, "every little girl does it. But it's a secret, and you must not talk about it." Cassie was too young to remember when her father started abusing her, but she remembers how unclean it made her feel. When she got married at sixteen and had a family of her own, she thought she'd finally escaped his clutches, but he found a way to make sure she could never move on. Turning to drink to cope, Cassie's babies were taken into care and her husband left her. Now would begin the biggest challenge of her life: winning her children back and working to eclipse the pain of the past. This is the heartbreaking true story of a little girl that just wanted to be loved.

He told me he loved me. He told me it was normal. I wanted to believe him. Emma's grandad was kind and loving, so when she was 11 and he started abusing her, she didn't understand what was happening. He convinced her that what he did to her was normal, and that their relationship was special - but then manipulated her into having sex with another man. Over the next seven years, Emma's grandad sold her to over two hundred men, and forced her to keep the shameful secret. This is her true story of survival.

When Ingrid Steel was first put into an orphanage at the age of four, she did not even know her real name. Nor would anyone tell her who her parents were, or what had happened to them. After years of bullying, deprivation and gratuitous punishment - even sexual abuse - in a series of homes and orphanages, she was incarcerated first in a borstal, then in a mental hospital. One day after returning to the orphanage, Ingrid made a secret pilgrimage to Somerset House in London to discover her real identity. She came back in triumph clutching her precious birth certificate - only to have it taken from her. That was the last straw. Desperate to be free to live her own life, she forced her way out of the orphanage and into the cold and wet. Would she at last be able to lead a life of freedom? Little Girl Lost is the first part of Ingrid Steel's shocking, heartrending life story.

Drawing on the latest research on memory and traumatic experience, Susan Clancy, an expert in experimental psychopathology, demonstrates that children describe abuse and molestation encounters in ways that don't fit the conventional trauma model. In fact, the most common feeling reported is not fear but "confusion."

Clancy calls for an honest look at sexual abuse and its aftermath, and argues that the reactions of society and the healing professions--however well meaning--actually shackle the victims of abuse in chains of guilt, secrecy, and shame. Pathbreaking and controversial, "The Trauma Myth" radically reshapes our understanding of sexual abuse and its consequences.

Evie and Elliot are scrawny, filthy and wide-eyed with fear when they turn up on foster carer Maggie Hartley's doorstep. Aged just two and three years old, this brother and sister have hardly set foot outside their own home. They have been prisoners, locked in a terrifying world of abuse, violence and neglect. Maggie soon realises that Evie and Elliot are lacking the basic life skills we all take for granted. The outside world terrifies them; the sound of the doorbell sends them into a panic that takes hours to abate. Gradually unlocking the truth of their heart-breaking upbringing, Maggie tells their shocking true story. From emotionally scarred and damaged little children, we see how - with warmth and dedication - Maggie transforms their lives. As this moving story unfolds, we share Maggie's joy when these children finally smile again, when they realise they do have a future after all.

Abusive Head Trauma in Infants and Children; Medical, Legal, and Forensic Issues combines alt aspects of abusive head trauma cases--medical, social service, investigative, legal and preventive--into one complete reference. All professionals involved in identifing children at risk, diagnosing injuries, investigating allegations, implementing services and strategizing for prevention will find this book a tremendous resource. In addition to reviewing the most up-to-date information on mechanisms of injury, pathophysiology, and physical findings, Abusive Head Trauma in Infants and Children details the application of medical science to the investigation and prosecution of these cases as well as issues of long-term outcome, developmental and educational needs and strategies for community education and prevention. A case study chapter gives the learner an opportunity to apply the information. This textual and visual reference addresses all forms of abusive head trauma--including shaking injuries. These volumes clearly describe the mechanisms involved in inflicted head injuries, and outline steps used to discover abusive head injuries in the absence of the external signs of trauma. Abusive Head Trauma Supplementary CD-ROM depicts how head injuries occur using 3-D images and animation. This product is valuable for explaining the complex biomechanics of abusive head injury to investigators, mandated reporters, and jurors.

All too often child victims of abuse either remain silent or are not listened to when they do decide to speak of their experiences, but The Truth is Longer Than a Lie gives abused children and young people a voice. This groundbreaking book reveals what young victims have to say about abuse and its effects on their lives; their views on the reasons for abuse; their opinions of abusers and non-offending parents; and how they felt about disclosing their experiences. Significantly, this book provides important insights into children's perceptions of the professionals who intervened - to protect them, to prosecute the abuser or to provide therapeutic counselling. The authors examine societal factors that increase children's vulnerability, and propose measures for preventing abuse. They outline the requirements of ethically sound research, including appropriate interviewing techniques, and conclude with recommendations for future research. The Truth is Longer Than a Lie is invaluable reading for social workers, child protection workers, counsellors, legal professionals and anyone working with abused children.

Bo has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. The rage he feels gives him the energy as a triathlete to press his body to the limit, but it also translates into angry outbursts toward his teachers.

Now dangerously close to expulsion from school, Bo has been assigned to Anger Management sessions with the school "truants." With an eclectic mix of hard-edged students, Bo may finally have to deal with his long-brewing hatred for his father -- before it eats away at him completely.

In The Case of the Pope Geoffrey Robertson QC delivers a devastating indictment of the way the Vatican has run a secret legal system that shields paedophile priests from criminal trial around the world. Is the Pope morally or legally responsible for the negligence that has allowed so many terrible crimes to go unpunished? Should he and his seat of power, the Holy See, continue to enjoy an immunity that places them above the law? Geoffrey Robertson QC, a distinguished human rights lawyer and judge, evinces a deep respect for the good works of Catholics and their church. But, he argues, unless Pope Benedict XVI can divest himself of the beguilements of statehood and devotion to obsolescent canon law, the Vatican will remain a serious enemy to the advance of human rights. 'Robertson is an adept QC and this is a devastating case' Daily Telegraph 'Combines moral passion with steely forensic precision ... It is one of the most formidable demolition jobs one could imagine on a man who has done more to discredit the cause of religion than Rasputin and Pat Robertson put together' Terry Eagleton, Guardian 'Forceful, wide-ranging' The Tablet 'Robertson has not become a successful lawyer by muddling his arguments and distorting his facts ... He writes clearly, at times passionately, as counsel for the prosecution' John Lloyd, Financial Times Geoffrey Robertson QC is founder and head of Doughty Street Chambers, the largest human rights practice in the UK. In 2008, he was appointed as a distinguished jurist member of the UN Justice Council. His books include Crimes Against Humanity: The Struggle for Global Justice, a memoir, The Justice Game and The Tyrannicide Brief, an award winning study of the trial of Charles I.

The application of assessment frameworks hinges on human qualities and skills which are naturally prone to bias and inconsistency. Making Sense of Child and Family Assessment aims to support workers in analysing and making sense of the information gathered, and increasing accuracy and empathy in assessing the needs and risks for vulnerable children and young people. This book offers best practice guidance on how to analyse information gathered during the assessment of children and young people and their families. Good assessments take time and need to be appropriately resourced. A range of analytical tools are also needed if practitioners are to present assessments of children's needs which lead to meaningful care plans and improved outcomes. Helm introduces the key messages emerging from policy and research, and provides insights into today's multi-disciplinary practice. Professionals working in child welfare and protection roles, such as social workers, health visitors, midwives and teachers will find this practical guide to analysis invaluable in interpreting needs and outcomes.

At the age of eight Diane Lazarus first experienced the power of her amazing gift by seeing, hearing and speaking to spirits. Since then Diane has learned to control her gift, switching it on and off at will. Today she is rated in the top five professional psychics worldwide and was recently the winner of the TV series Psychic Challenge. Her ability to visualize past and future events means she's frequently used by police throughout the UK and her accuracy in several murder investigations have prompted senior officers to call for her psychic assistance in a number of high profile crimes. The book recounts how she first discovered her gift - which turned out to be, understandably - a pretty terrifying experience and how she came to develop it despite the disapproval and disbelief of many of those around her. Diane's childhood was a struggle, her family suffered at the hands of their violent father and although they managed to escape his grasp, it took time for Diane to become confident in her gift - a mixed blessing but one that she has managed to use to benefit so many others.

'Della's story is tragic, shocking and heart-breaking, but she must be heard. Della is an inspirational and dedicated campaigner who I've been proud to support. Her book eloquently portrays her past vulnerability and her steadfast determination to help others. A must read' Sarah Champion, MP 'I'd been the unwanted child, the little girl who got in the way. I swore I'd put my abuser behind bars and I'd fight with every breath in my body against the life sentence he'd given me. This was my time.' Della Wright is an incredible campaigner for the rights of abuse victims after suffering a lifetime of betrayal. Left alone at home for the first time at only two years old by those tasked with her care, Della was let down first by social services. When known paedophile Terry Price entered her life when she was six, moving into her home, he would groom and sexually abuse her for the next five years. Even the sight of a little girl going to his probation meetings wasn't enough to make the authorities act. After a lifetime of violent relationships and mental health problems, Della eventually managed to put her childhood abuser behind bars for 22 years, a decade after first going to the police. He had changed his name multiple times to evade detection for his many crimes. As an ambassador for the Safeguarding Alliance, Della now campaigns to ensure offenders cannot slip through the net by giving themselves new identities. She has vowed to try and stop anyone experiencing the same neglect, betrayal and abuse she did.

Practical support for how to overcome childhood trauma Many psychological and emotional problems faced by adults have their roots in childhood trauma, and this invaluable self-help guide offers advice and techniques based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anyone who has experienced trauma as a child, be it emotional, physical or sexual. Written by an experienced practitioner, this book is for anyone who has been hurt or neglected as a child. If you are struggling with difficulties in relationships, with self-confidence or mood, this book will help you address these common experiences as an immediate coping strategy or as a preliminary to fuller therapy. The updated second edition will help you: - Understand the psychological impact of childhood trauma - Know where to turn for further help and resources - Learn useful CBT strategies to start on the road to recovery and resilience

Covering the process of therapy from beginning to end, this engaging text helps students and practitioners use play confidently and effectively with children, adolescents, and adults struggling with emotional or behavioral problems or life challenges. With an accessible theory-to-practice focus, the book explains the basics of different play therapy approaches and invites readers to reflect on and develop their own clinical style. It is filled with rich case material and specific examples of play techniques and strategies. The expert authors provide steps for building strong relationships with clients; exploring their clinical issues and underlying dynamics; developing and working toward clear treatment goals; and collaborating with parents and teachers. A chapter on common challenges offers insightful guidance for navigating difficult situations in the playroom.