The Right to Innocence

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Summary: Excellent book for beginners in recovery.
Review: By the time I found this book, I'd already read many others dealing with the harsh & painful topic of sexual abuse in childhood. I wish this book had been the first book on recovery I'd found. It is one which I buy to loan or pass on to friends new to recovery. All books on abuse are difficult to read, but 'The Right to Innocence' makes the step into recovery more bearable than some of the other books available.

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Summary: best self-help book i've ever read
Review: How do I even start? I honestly don't know what i would've done without this book. This book, along with professional counseling helped me recover from depression and anxiety attacks. To be brief, I had been sexually abused by 2 family members: an older male cousin and my father. This book helped me to finally realize that it was never my fault, and I know that now. It's been about 10 years since I've stopped counseling, but I still have this book, and every once in a while when I start to have those feelings of guilt surfacing, I grab this book and start reading. Recovering from childhood sexual abuse, I believe, is a lifelong process, and I'm sure we need all the help we can get. I recommend this book to anyone who has been sexually abused, and also to anyone who knows of someone who has been sexually abused. Maybe they can be a great help and support to them.

Rating:
Summary: Cannot recommend
Review: I am a Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of experience in treating all types of victims. I read this book in search of materials to recommend to my patients. I cannot recommend "The Right to Innocence" because I am very concerned about the assertions the author makes about how to know whether you have been sexually abused. She makes claims such as, "If you have any suspicion at all, if you have any memory, no matter how vague, it probably really happened" (p. 23). She lists pages of symptoms, every one of which is related to many different histories and disorders. Then she writes, "If you found yourself saying 'That's me!' to many of these symptoms and if you suspect you were abused, the chances are very high that you were a victim of childhood sexual abuse" (p. 31). It is simply not true that if you have any suspicion that you were abused that you can assume that you were. It is also not true that if you have several of the symptoms she named that you necessarily have a history of sexual abuse. Abuse victims do have many of those symptoms, but so do people who have suffered many other kinds of difficult or traumatic experiences in their lives. Memories of sexual abuse should be believed. Suspicions of past abuse should be taken very seriously and further explored. I believe, however, that it is irresponsible to encourage people to draw conclusions based on suspicions alone.

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful if your just getting started
Review: I was first introduced to this book by my psychologist. It is very important to understand that you are a victim, and this book really helps you accept that. It also doesn't push you to hurry up and get through each stage of healing.....you definately have to go at your own pace.

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Summary: A good heal!
Review: I was very comforted to know that I am not alone. I cannot even put into words the relief I feel at knowing that I am not a total freak for the things that I have had happen to me. This book is not graphic, and the exercises really are helpful.

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Summary: Response to review from Pasadena therapist
Review: I'm sorry that the Pasadena therapist cannot recommend my book. Since it was written almost 15 years ago hundreds of therapists have recommended it to their clients and the book is considered a classic in the field. It has been described as compassionate, insightful, supportive, straightforward, and easy to read. While it is true that some of the items listed in the book can be symptomatic of other problems, taken in its entirety, the list describes those who have been sexually abused. I also think the therapist missed the point when I encourage people to trust their suspicions. Throughout the book I offer ways for readers to explore their suspicions and memories--not to just assume they were abused. But with all the denial that usually surrounds an abuse victim, encouragement to trust their instincts is definitely in order. Please take a look at the book before trusting one therapist's point of view. Thousands of people have been helped by the book and I stand by what I have written.

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful and very supportive
Review: I've read several books on child sexual abuse but many of them overwhelmed me. This book is concise and to the point and the examples are not horrific. I learned a great deal about incest and about my family situation and found out that my reactions are normal considering what I've been through. The book helped me come out of denial more and left me feeling empowered knowing that there are steps I can take to achieve recovery. I especially liked the sections dispelling common myths because they it provided me with ammunition when family members try to talk me out of my feelings.

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Summary: Applaud this book
Review: Thi si an excellent look into the lives of abuse children, the ones that live right around the corner from us and sit near us in church. It is hard to read, emotional and well worth the time to read. I had bouth this book along with NIGHTMARES ECHO...more for my own healing as for anything else. What I found were two extrodinary looks into abuse of children...physical,mental and sexual.

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful if your just getting started
Review: This book was well written and very helpful. I highly recommend it and I'm sure that Dr. Beverly Engel continues to help survivors of childhood sexual abuse daily through this book and her practice. Thank you Dr. Engel for writing this book and for sharing your survival experience with your readers. You are making a difference.

Rating:
Summary: Great Starting Point for the Journey of Healing
Review: When I was 24 I went to see a therapist because my life was completely falling apart. At the recommendation of my therapist I read this book. When I finished the book and my therapy I no longer felt a victim, but empowered to trust myself and let the hurt and self-destructive behavior go. I have not read the book in over 15 years, but over the years I have given much credit of my healing to this book and have recommended it repeatedly. I remember that there were times I had to put down the book because what the author was saying would cause me to feel so much anger/pain. I would pick up the book later and ironically almost the next paragraph the author would speak about the anger and/or pain I had been facing. My experience has been that only someone who has gone through the pain of childhood sexual abuse can truly understand those painful steps of healing. And YES you can heal from this kind of abuse and this book is a good starting point.