East Baton Rouge Parish Library

The trauma myth, the truth about the sexual abuse of children--and its aftermath, Susan A. Clancy

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

no index present

non fiction

The trauma myth

458731359

Susan A. Clancy

the truth about the sexual abuse of children--and its aftermath

"Few would argue that the experience of sexual abuse is deeply traumatic for a child. But in this book, psychologist Susan Clancy reports on years of research and contends that it is not the abuse itself that causes trauma - but rather the narrative that is later imposed on the abuse experience. Clancy demonstrates that the most common feeling victims report is not fear or panic, but confusion. Because children don't understand sexual encounters in the same ways that adults do, they normally accommodate their perpetrators - something they feel intensely ashamed about as adults. The professional assumptions about the nature of childhood trauma can harm victims by reinforcing these feelings. Survivors are thus victimized not only by their abusers but also by the industry dedicated to helping them. Path-breaking and controversial, The Trauma Myth empowers survivors to tell their own stories, and radically reshapes our understanding of abuse and its aftermath."--BOOK JACKET

What was it like when it happened? -- The truth about sexual abuse -- The politics of sexual abuse -- Why the trauma myth damages victims -- How the trauma myth silences victims