Recommended Reading

At Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre we recommend a book called The Courage to Heal. Two American women, Ellen Bass and Laura Davis, who run workshops for survivors of child sexual abuse, wrote the book. The book explores each stage of the healing process. This book offers guidance for shifting self-defeating patterns in your present life, including around self-esteem, intimacy and sexuality. The final section profiles courageous women who share the challenges and triumphs of their personal healing journeys. They have also published a book called Allies in Healing for supporters of survivors.

Among the other books that survivors have found useful is Rescuing the Inner Child: Therapy for Adults Sexually Abused as Children by Penny Parkes. This is aimed at crossing the major bridge of self-blame.