Books for men who have experienced child sexual abuse or sexual assault

as well as partners, friends, family and professionals

There are a number of excellent books specifically written to assist men who have experienced child sexual abuse or sexual assault, their partners, friends, family and agency professionals. Reading can be a safe and accessible way of obtaining information about what can be helpful in understanding and overcoming the effects of sexual assault. Reading about other men’s experiences can help relieve the sense of isolation and give hope and ideas for action you might take or how someone might assist you.

Remember to take care when reading

Please remember to prioritise your own well being when reading books that deal with the topic of child sexual abuse or sexual assault. We invite you to:

• Be aware of what your purpose is in taking time to read what is recounted.
• Be aware of how you are feeling prior to, during and after reading a man’s personal story.
• Be aware of the choices you have in relation to the meaning and use you make of what was written.

Below are some questions that you might wish to consider whilst reading:

• What was it that you noticed? – What caught your attention? – How come?
• Did some element of these personal accounts connect with aspects of your own life experience?
• Reflecting on what is written, what would you like to remember and keep with you?
• How might what is written become useful for you in your life?

Don’t forget, you can stop reading at any time, book mark a page, and leave it to come back to later. Also, no book can cover everything a man who has survived child sexual abuse or sexual assault will experience, every person has their own story to tell.

Useful books for men

		Victims No Longer (Second Edition): The Classic Guide for Men Recovering from Sexual Child Abuse Mike Lew
		Silent No More: Victim 1’s Fight for Justice Against Jerry Sandusky Aaron Fisher
		Joining Forces: Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive Howard Fradkin
		Crosses: Portraits of Survivors of Clergy Abuse Carmine Galasso
		Healing the Soul After Religious Abuse: The Dark Heaven of Recovery (Religion, Health and Healing) Mikele Rauch
		Surviving the Legal System: A Handbook for Victim/Survivors of Sexual Assault Caroline Taylor An informed guide for those negotiating the criminal justice system as a result of being sexually abused or assaulted. Written in a way that makes it clearly accessible to any reader, the book provides advice on the rights of people who have experienced sexual abuse or assault, as well as essential information about dealing with police and the court system. Based on documented research, as well as a large number of trials the author sat through as a researcher or in her support role to others, this is a book many could find very helpful.