Responding to a Sexual Abuse Outcry: Sexual Abuse Intervention Handbook

By Susan Witts

The reaction of the person a child tells is an important factor in their recovery. Many families across America have had their children removed for failing to react appropriately when faced with the information that their child is a victim of sexual abuse. Most have stated that they were in shock, not sure what to do because of the lack of books about this topic.

Responding to a Sexual Abuse Outcry was created to help families cope with this experience. There are over forty-two million survivors of sexual abuse in America. Research has shown children of sexual abuse survivors are at a higher risk of becoming victims themselves. TCaware.orgs goal, by publishing this resource, is to break the cycle of abuse and end the epidemic of sexual abuse. Every parent, childcare professional, law enforcement staff, caseworker, teacher, and religious/crisis intervention organization can benefit from the information in this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524524814

Susan Witts

About the Author Susan Witts, specializing in sexual abuse prevention initiatives for over twelve years, has worked with a variety of grassroots, community nonprofit, criminal justice–based, and statewide organizations to improve services for sexual abuse survivors. She has facilitated sexual abuse intervention classes for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and formerly volunteered for over eleven years as a rape crisis and victims’ services advocate. Susan has a bachelor’s degree in business from Northwood University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University. Susan has developed adult and youth education and prevention programs for the past fifteen years and was appointed to serve on city boards and commissions, receiving a recognition certificate from the mayor after six years of service. Susan is active in youth ministries and enjoys spending time with her husband of twenty-three years and her teenage and adult children and two grandchildren.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Susan Witts.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016911292

ISBN:      Hardcover        978-1-5245-2483-8

                 Softcover         978-1-5245-2482-1

                 eBook              978-1-5245-2481-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/14/2016

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Contents

Preparedness

The Outcry

Effects of Disclosure

What Happens Next?

What Can I Do?

What Children Need

Symptoms of Sexual Abuse

Tips to Reduce Risk of Sexual Abuse

Thank You

Resources

References

About the Author

Notes

Dedication

A special thanks to Terry Rich and NRH Five Star Ford staff for their assistance in publishing this resource. We appreciate their dedication in helping community residents through their support of TCaware programs and services benefiting their area. We also appreciate Xlibris staff and their publishing team for making this resource available worldwide. We hope that the information made available on this website will assist in reducing trauma for all families in crisis situations.

I also appreciate the families involved in Victims Services and Child Protective Services that helped provide feedback for most of the topics discussed in this resource.

Finally, I appreciate my family and friends, whose support, patience, and persistence provided the motivation needed to finish this project. It is my hope that this useful tool will benefit