Understanding Child Sexual Abuse

The number of confirmed cases of child sexual abuse in the United States rose from 6,000 in 1976 to 113,000 in 1985 and rose again to 300,000 in 2000. Understanding Child Sexual Abuse explores the dynamics, effects, treatment options, and preventive measures available to both the children and the adults involved in child sexual abuse. Chapters provide:

Emphasis and guidance on seeking counseling
Pathways for victims to seek renewed, healthy, and productive lives
Options available for rehabilitating abusers
Personality traits common to abusers
Victim responses to the trauma of abuse
Outlines of work now underway to understand neurobiological aspects of disorders that may lead to abuse
Appropriate treatments for victims and offenders
An overview of recommended books, websites, and other resources for further reading

Edward L. Rowan, M.D., is a retired psychiatrist in Exeter, New Hampshire. He is the author of To Do My Best: James E. West and the Boy Scouts of America, and his work has appeared in American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, and Journal of Correctional and Social Psychiatry.