The Trauma Myth: The Truth about the Sexual Abuse of Children[¬"and Its AftermathFew would argue that the experience of sexual abuse is deeply traumatic for a child. But in this explosive new 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 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. |
Contents
The Truth About Sexual | 21 |
The Politics of Sexual | 46 |
Why the Trauma Myth Damages | 74 |
How the Trauma Myth Silences | 106 |
Front Cover Back Cover Back Cover | 152 |
Common terms and phrases
Abuse and Neglect abuse experiences abuse of children actually adult aftermath American asked Basic Books behavior believe betrayal blame Child Abuse Child Maltreatment Child Sexual Abuse child victims Childhood Sexual Abuse Clinical Clinical Psychology cognitive Courage to Heal crimes damages victims David Finkelhor emotional Erin event explained fault fear felt feminists Finkelhor Freud frightening guilt happened harm help victims Incest interview Journal Judith Herman kids loved memory mental health negative occurred percent perpetrator perspective posttraumatic stress disorder problems Psychiatry psychological trauma PTSD R.J. McNally rape reactions repression Science sense sexual abuse field sexual abuse victims sexual experiences shame Sigmund Freud social someone Susan Clancy symptoms talk things tion Today told trauma conceptualization trauma model Trauma Myth trauma theory traumatic experience Traumatic Stress treatment truth about sexual understand University Press victims feel victims report violence Women wrong York York Radical Feminists