Picking up the pieces
Picking up the pieces - A survival guide for victims of childhood sexual abuse.
by Graham Wilmer & fellow survivors
ISBN-970-0-9558750-0-7
Specifications: 122x122mm, 110pp, Paperback
Price: £8.50
Publication: August 2008
Written by Graham Wilmer and fellow survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this book will be of real help to survivors, counsellors and all other professionals working with victims of child abuse. 'Picking up the pieces' answers all those difficult questions - like how to tell someone that you have been sexually abused; who to tell; what will happen next; where to get help and what type of help is available. It includes first hand information on how sexual abuse affects children and their development, and unique insights into the mental health problems that often occur later in life, resulting from abuse. It also includes an up-to-date, comprehensive review of the criminal and civil law in England in relation to victims of abuse, and the moving and disturbing accounts of more than fifty survivors of child abuse - voices of courage, who have told their stories here, many for the first time ever, to help other victims understand that they are not alone and they can recover.
Keeping Safe: Before you begin to read this book, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you may find some of it very painful. If you feel nervous about that, ask someone you trust to sit with you while you read. If you can't do that, for whatever reason, the next best thing is to think of something that makes you feel safe or happy, such as a pet or a loved one. This image will be your ‘rescue image'. Then, as you work your way through the book, if anything you read triggers painful memories or makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, put the book down, close your eyes and think about your rescue image. In a few moments, you will feel safe again. Then take a rest from the book and come back to it later.
Graham Wilmer - The Lantern Project
http://www.lanternproject.org.uk