Building Stronger Families -protecting children against sexual abuse.
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Books for Adults 

Protecting The Gift by gavin de becker

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All parents face the same challenges when it comes to their children's safety: whom to trust, whom to distrust, what to believe, what to doubt, what to fear, and what not to fear. In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the nation's leading expert on predicting violent behavior and author of the monumental bestseller The Gift of Fear, offers practical new steps to enhance children's safety at every age level, giving you the tools you need to allow your kids freedom without losing sleep yourself. 

The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris 

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Through storytelling that delivers both scientific insight and moving stories of personal impact, Burke Harris illuminates her journey of discovery, from research labs nationwide to her own pediatric practice in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point. For anyone who has faced a difficult childhood, or who cares about the millions of children who do, the innovative and acclaimed health interventions outlined in The Deepest Well will represent vitally important hope for change. ​

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A step-by-step guide for parents and carers on how to protect children from sexual abuse through personal Body Safety Education. This guide contains simple, practical and age-appropriate ideas, as well as important information on how abusers groom. Body Safety knowledge empowers children. It goes a long way in keeping them safe from sexual abuse, and ensuring they grow up as assertive and confident teenagers and adults. There is no downside!

On Amazon.com 

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Off Limits: A Parent's Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse is unwavering in its message: Child sexual abuse can be prevented and parents are the front-line. The book empowers parents with information on age-appropriate sexual development, body-safety rules, sample language for talking with children and teens about body-safety, screening questions for caregivers. And it also includes information on how to handle a disclosure when a child has been sexually abused or is abusing another child. Order online

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Dr. Ken Ginsburg guides parents and other caring adults how to help kids from the age of 18 months to 18 years build the seven crucial "C's"--competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control.  These are the critical ingredients young people need to bounce back from life's challenges and thrive far into the future. 


This invaluable book will guide you how to put into place the parenting style and communication strategies that will prepare your child for a meaningful and successful life.

On Amazon.com 

The Sex-Wise Parent by janet rosenzweig

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The Sex-Wise Parent is the one book every parent needs to help them raise a sexually safe and healthy child. From choosing the first baby sitter to monitoring teens' media choices this book is a guide for parents with kids of all ages. Reviewers have exclaimed "I wish I had this when my kids were young!"


www.sexwiseparent.com
Order on Amazon

Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, And Other Sex Offenders By Anna Salter

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What motivates sexual abusers? Why are so few caught? Drawing on the stories of abusers, Anna C. Salter shows that sexual predators use sophisticated deception techniques and rely on misconceptions surrounding them to evade discovery. Arguing that even the most knowledgeable among us can be fooled, Salter dispels the myths about sexual predators and gives us the tools to protect our families and ourselves. On Amazon.com

Childhood It Should Not Hurt! 

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Covers the disturbing issues of incest and child sexual abuse, the greatest hidden epidemic in America. Readers get information about recognizing the signs and symptoms and what to do if they learn their child has been sexually abused. The quagmire of the judicial system is outlined in simple and thorough detail and includes solid systematic advice. Childhood: It Should Not Hurt! offers valuable advice and insight to adult survivors of sexual abuse that will help them reclaim their lives, and it serves as a thorough resource for parents, legal, law enforcement, medical, social work, psychological professionals, and all adults who are concerned about the health and safety of our children.

Claire R. Reeves is a nationally recognized expert in incest and child sexual abuse. Reeves has testified as an expert witness in both civil and criminal court cases. In 1992 Reeves founded MOTHERS AGAINST SEXUAL ABUSE (MASA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children against sexual abuse. As she spearheaded MASA Reeves also set up programs to assist non-offending parents and guardians of children who had been sexually abused. These parents had no idea how to maneuver through the quagmire of the family and juvenile courts. Reeves was there with emotional support, knowledge and compassion to the families who were so devastated.
On Amazon.com

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Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.

Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts.

In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown’s many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth—and trust—in our organizations, families, schools, and communities. On Amazon.com

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Parenting with PTSD is an anthology and workbook for parents who are survivors of childhood abuse. Editors Joyelle Brandt and Dawn Daum are survivors of childhood abuse working to break the cycle for their own families. Raising children as an abuse survivor is often a lonely and isolating experience, as the triggers and flashbacks of abuse can be hard for non-survivors to understand. When they were looking for stories of how other survivors coped, and couldn't find any, they decided that something needed to change. So together they started an online community specifically for parent survivors, and started collecting essays to create Parenting with PTSD. Breaking the silence allows for an honest conversation about the lifetime journey of healing from childhood trauma. This is a combination of essays, journal questions, and recommended resources. It is intended to be a starting point to more conversations about how we can heal both individually and within our families, communities, and institutions.
On Amazon.com

For Youth-Serving Organizations 

Enough Abuse Campaign: gate keepers for kids

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Materials developed for the prevention effort include a free  Gate Keepers for Kids brochure, a practical guide to make your organization safer, which describes the three basic strategies all YSOs must have in place to create the foundations for child safety. It includes information about conducting an organizational assessment to identify strengths that can be built upon and gaps that need to be addressed. The six key strategies for safety contained in the Guide are linked to a series of downloadable Fact Sheets and a Resource Bank of policies and tools available through the Campaign. Together, these provide YSOs with information and available technical assistance to help YSOs train their staff and volunteers, conduct comprehensive screening of prospective applicants, establish protocols to report suspected cases, develop codes of conduct suited to organizational mission, and assess and modify physical spaces to reduce opportunities for sexual abuse.

sexual exploitation in schools by robert J. shoop

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Shoop identifies the early warning signs of sexual abuse in schools, demonstrating the critical need to implement strategies so students are protected while also learning how to protect themselves.

On Amazon.com 


Books for Children 

Now Available for Preorder!  

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Full Video Preview! 

Your Body Belongs To You By Cornelia Spelman

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PreSchool-Grade 2. This book is positive and assertive without being frightening. It lets young children know that it's all right for them to choose when, and by whom, they are to be touched. It goes on to define "private parts" as "the places on your body covered by a bathing suit," and states that they should never be touched by people other than medical personnel and adults helping with bathroom functions. The prefatory note to parents is an important one as it reminds them to trust a child's instincts and concerns related to unwanted touching. Weidner's simple watercolors are adequately rendered and are appropriate to the content. Even with its basic vocabulary and limited scope, this book will need to be, and should be, shared one-on one.
-Rosie Peasley, Empire Union School District, Modesto, CA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Order On Amazon

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Through age-appropriate illustrations and engaging text this book, written by the author of 'No Means No!' and 'Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept', will teach children the following crucial and empowering skills in personal body safety: • identifying safe and unsafe feelings • recognizing early warning signs • developing a safety network • using the correct names for private parts • understanding the difference safe and unsafe touch • understanding the difference between secrets and surprises • respecting body boundaries.

Lauren's Kingdom by Lauren Book 

No Trespassing- this is MY body by pattie fitzgerald

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Siblings Katie and her little brother Kyle learn about personal safety, private parts, and “thumbs up & thumbs down” touches by talking with their mom in a loving and easy-to-understand manner. With an empowering dialog that is never fearful, parents can use this book to begin this important discussion with their children. Katie and Kyle’s mom also explains the essential “No Secrets” rule in their family, and that it is never their fault if they get an “uh-oh feeling” from anyone.

The story is written with a positive and engaging approach using child-friendly language and charming illustrations. A “Parent's Guide with Prevention Tips” is also included to help parents understand their role in keeping children safe from sexual abuse. By learning how to interpret red flags and how to recognize possible grooming scenarios, parents can significantly reduce the risks and keep their children safe from predators.

“No Trespassing - This Is MY Body!” comes highly recommended by pediatricians, teachers and parents as a valuable tool in the fight against childhood sexual abuse.

(For ages 4 to 8) Order on Amazon 

Amazing You by gail saltz

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"Mom, where do babies come from?”
Many parents live in fear of the day their child asks that question—which inevitably happens, often as early as the preschool years. Here is a picture book designed especially for young children who are becoming sexually aware but aren't ready to learn about sexual intercourse. Written with warmth and honesty, Amazing You! presents clear and age-appropriate information about reproduction, birth, and the difference between girls' and boys' bodies. Lynne Cravath's whimsical illustrations enliven the text, making this a book that parents will gladly share with their young ones. Order on Amazon 

Have You Flled a Bucket Today?
​ by Carol McCloud

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Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this heartwarming book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love. Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves. Winner of fifteen awards. 

Stand in my Shoes by bob sornson Ph.D.

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When Emily asks her big sister what the word empathy means, Emily has no idea that knowing the answer will change how she looks at people. But does it really matter to others if Emily notices how they're feeling? Stand in My Shoes shows kids how easy it is to develop empathy toward those around them. Empathy is the ability to notice what other people feel. Empathy leads to the social skills and personal relationships which make our lives rich and beautiful, and it is something we can help our children learn. This book teaches young children the value of noticing how other people feel. We're hoping that many parents read it along with their children.

On Amazon.com

My Body Belongs to Me by Jill Starishevsky

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Using rhyming text, teaches young readers to recognize sexual abuse and molestation, to tell a parent or authority figure if they are abused, and encourages them to respect and love their bodies. Order Through Amazon

Some secrets should not be kept 
​by jayneen sanders 

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Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept is a beautifully illustrated picture book that sensitively broaches the subject of keeping our children safe from inappropriate touch. We teach water safety and road safety but how do we teach 'body safety' to young children in a way that is neither frightening nor confronting? This book is an invaluable tool for parents, caregivers, teachers and health professionals. The comprehensive notes to the reader and discussion questions at the back of the book support both the reader and the child when discussing the story. Suitable for ages 3 to 12 years. A free 'body safety' song, supporting teacher's pack and other useful resources are also available from: www.somesecrets.info

You can also order the book through Amazon. 

I said no! by kimberly king

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 Written from a kid s point of view, I Said No! makes this task a lot easier.
To help Zack cope with a real-life experience he had with a friend, he and his mom wrote a book to help prepare other kids to deal with a range of problematic situations. I Said No! uses kid-friendly language and illustrations to help parents and concerned adults give kids guidance they can understand, practice and use.
Using a simple, direct, decidedly non-icky approach that doesn't dumb down the issues involved, as well as an easy-to-use system to help kids rehearse and remember appropriate responses to help keep them safe, I Said No! covers a variety of topics, including:
What s appropriate and with whom.How to deal with inappropriate behavior, bribes and threats.
On Amazon.com


My Body Is Private by Linda Walvoord Girard

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Julie, who is eight or nine, talks about privacy and about saying "no" to touching that makes her uncomfortable. Order through Amazon

It's Not the Stork! by Robie H. Harris

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Young children are curious about almost everything, especially their bodies. And young children are not afraid to ask questions. What makes me a girl? What makes me a boy? Why are some parts of girls' and boys' bodies the same and why are some parts different? How was I made? Where do babies come from? Is it true that a stork brings babies to mommies and daddies? 

IT'S NOT THE STORK! helps answer these endless and perfectly normal questions that preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary school children ask about how they began. Through lively, comfortable language and sensitive, engaging artwork, Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley address readers in a reassuring way, mindful of a child's healthy desire for straightforward information. Two irresistible cartoon characters, a curious bird and a squeamish bee, provide comic relief and give voice to the full range of emotions and reactions children may experience while learning about their amazing bodies. Vetted and approved by science, health, and child development experts, the information is up-to-date, age-appropriate, and scientifically accurate, and always aimed at helping kids feel proud, knowledgeable, and comfortable about their own bodies, about how they were born, and about the family they are part of. On Amazon.com 

Rise and Shine Movement

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The official Rise and Shine Movement website is online. Via the website you can watch the FREE book, "Rise and Shine: A Tool for the Prevention of Childhood Sexual Abuse" with your children. You also have access to important discussion questions, valuable resources, and you can offer support by joining the movement. www.riseandshinemovement.org

Please Tell: A Child's Story About Sexual Abuse by jessie 

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Written and illustrated by a young girl who was sexually molested by a family member, this book reaches out to other children in a way that no adult can. Jessie's words carry the message, "It's o.k. to tell; help can come when you tell."This book is an excellent tool for therapists, counselors, child protection workers, teachers, and parents dealing with children affected by sexual abuse.

Jessie's story adds a sense of hope for what should be, and the knowledge that the child protection system can work for children. Simple, direct, and from the heart, Jessie gives children the permission and the courage to deal with sexual abuse.

Order on Amazon 



Books for Healing 

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From Amazon.com:

Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his stomach hurt. He had bad dreams. And he started to feel angry and do mean things, which got him in trouble. Then he met Ms. Maple, who helped him talk about the terrible thing that he had tried to forget. Now Sherman is feeling much better. This gently told and tenderly illustrated story is for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire. An afterword by Sash a J. Mudlaff written for parents and other caregivers offers extensive suggestions for helping traumatized children, including a list of other sources that focus on specific events.

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From Amazon.com:

If you were emotionally, physically, or sexually abused as a child or adolescent, or if you experienced neglect or abandonment, it isn't a question of whether you will continue the cycle of abuse but rather a question of how--whether you will become an abuser or continue to be a victim. In this breakthrough book, Beverly Engel, a leading expert on emotional and sexual abuse, explains how to stop the cycle of abuse once and for all. Her step-by-step program provides the necessary skills for gaining control over emotions, changing negative attitudes, learning healthy ways of communicating, healing the damage from prior abuse, and seeking out support.

Throughout, Engel shares many dramatic personal stories including her own experiences with abusive behavior. Breaking the Cycle of Abuse gives you the power to shatter abusive patterns for good and offers a legacy of hope and healing for you and your family.

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From Amazon.com: 

The Courage to Heal is an inspiring, comprehensive guide that offers hope and encouragement to every woman who, was sexually abused as a child -- and those who care about her. Although the effects of child sexual abuse are long-term and severe, healing is possible. The authors weave personal experience with professional knowledge to show the reader how she can come to terms with her past while moving powerfully into the future. They provide clear explanations, practical suggestions, a map of the healing journey, and many moving first-person examples of the recovery process drawn from their interviews with hundreds of survivors.

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From the Back CoverThis widely esteemed, comprehensive guide helps survivors of sexual abuse heal from the past, improve relationships, and discover the joys of sexual intimacy. Wendy Maltz sensitively takes readers step-by-step through the recovery process, integrating expert advice with groundbreaking exercises, proven techniques, and first-person accounts of women and men at every stage of sexual healing. This compassionate resource can help you to:

  • Identify the sexual effects of sexual abuse
  • Eliminate negative sexual behavior and resolve specific problems
  • Gain control over upsetting automatic reactions to touch and sex
  • Develop a healthy sexual self-concept

On Amazon 

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From Amazon.com: 

The first book written specifically for men, Victims No Longer examines the changing cultural attitudes toward male survivors of incest and other sexual trauma. Now, in this Second Edition, this invaluable resource continues to offer compassionate and practical advice, supported by personal anecdotes and statements of male survivors.Victims No Longer helps survivors to:

  • Identify and validate their childhood experiences
  • Explore strategies of survival and healing
  • Work through issues such as trust, intimacy, and sexual confusion
  • Establish a support network for continued personal recovery
  • Make choices that aren't determined by abuse
Psychotherapist Mike Lew has worked with thousands of men and women in their healing from the effects of childhood sexual abuse, rape, physical violence, emotional abuse, and neglect. The development of strategies for recovery from incest and other abuse, particularly for men, has been a major focus of his work as a counselor and group leader.


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From Amazon.com: 

"If you have been sexually abused, this book will give you information, hope, direction, and most importantly, the assurance that you are not alone. Dr. Gartner has written an accessible, compassionate book that clearly lays out the healing process for men who were hurt or abused as children. Whether you were abused by a mother, a camp counselor, a neighborhood boy, or a priest, Beyond Betrayal will give you the tools you need to reclaim your life and move on. If you're going to take one book with you on the healing journey, this should be the one."
--Laura Davis, coauthor of The Courage to Heal and author of The Courage to Heal Workbook

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From Amazon.com:

**Unraveling Trauma in the Body, Brain and Mind—a Revolution in Treatment**

In this culmination of his life’s work, Peter A. Levine draws on his broad experience as a clinician, a student of comparative brain research, a stress scientist and a keen observer of the naturalistic animal world to explain the nature and transformation of trauma in the body, brain and psyche. In an Unspoken Voice is based on the idea that trauma is neither a disease nor a disorder, but rather an injury caused by fright, helplessness and loss that can be healed by engaging our innate capacity to self-regulate high states of arousal and intense emotions. Enriched with a coherent theoretical framework and compelling case examples, the book elegantly blends the latest findings in biology, neuroscience and body-oriented psychotherapy to show that when we bring together animal instinct and reason, we can become more whole human beings.

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From Amazon.com:
 For the millions who suffer from the effects of a traumatic experience, this book offers help and hope and provides the diverse elements needed for lasting recovery. Trauma can take many forms, from the most disturbing of circumstances such as witnessing a murder or violent crime to the subtle trauma of living with the effects of abuse or alcoholism. Deep emotional wounds often seem like they will never heal, but Schiraldi has helped and witnessed survivors recover, grow, and find happiness.

By helping people recognize the coping mechanisms and by dealing directly with the effects of a traumatic experience, there is a great reason for hope. The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook is a guide for both survivors and their loved ones, helping them to see that on the other side of their pain is recovery and growth.

  • Explains the psychic defenses that can go into effect to protect a victim from further emotional harm
  • Provides information on triggers and the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Addresses how the healing process can begin and how fear diminishes through a variety of medic and nonmedicinal treatment methods

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From Amazon.com: 
Based on in-depth interviews and her workshops for partners across the country, Laura Davis offers practical advice and encouragement to all partners—girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses, and lovers—trying to support the survivors in their lives while tending to their own needs along the way. She shows couples how to deepen compassion, improve communication, and develop an understanding of healing as a shared activity. Addressing partners' most important questions, Allies in Healing covers:

  • The Basics—answers common questions about sexual abuse.
  • Allies in Healing—introduces key concepts of working and growing together.
  • My Needs and Feelings—teaches partners to recognize, value, and express their own needs.
  • Dealing with Crisis—includes strategies for handling suicidal feelings, regression, and hopelessness.
  • Intimacy and Communication—offers practical advice on dealing with distancing, control, trust, and fighting.
  • Sex—provides guidelines for coping with flashbacks, lack of desire, differences in sexual needs, and frustration.
  • Family lssues—suggests a range of ideas for interacting with the survivor's family.
  • Partners' Stories—explores the struggles, triumphs, and courage of eight partners.

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Grounded in theory and research on complex childhood trauma, this book provides an accessible, flexible, and comprehensive framework for intervention with children and adolescents and their caregivers. It is packed with practical clinical tools that are applicable in a range of settings, from outpatient treatment centers to residential programs. Rather than presenting a one-size-fits-all treatment model, the authors show how to plan and organize individualized interventions that promote resilience, strengthen child–caregiver relationships, and restore developmental competencies derailed by chronic, multiple stressors. On Amazon.com 

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The "Rock the Talk" tagline is a trademark registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. 

The Bear Logo and Mama Bear Effect name are trademarks registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. ​