Sexual Abuse: Protecting Our Children

Combining interviews with sexual abusers and commentary by Dr. Duncan Bowen, President and Director of the Sexual Recovery Center at Merritt Island, FL, Sexual Abuse: Protecting Our Children is a brief overview of what sexual abuse is, how abusers gain a child's trust, and what can be done to lessen the chances of abuse. Men currently in treatment caution parents to trust their instincts, while Bowen points out the importance of a strong sense of self. If the child has a firm sense of his or her "own space," and a clear understanding of what constitutes a violation of that space, the likelihood of sexual abuse is greatly lessened. While Mind That Child (VL-9/91) offers more detailed guidance, this is still a good, inexpensive warning for parents. Recommended. (R. Pitman)