Additional information
by Thema Bryant-Davis (Editor)
Victims of sexual assault experience their trauma in different ways, and often one path to recovery and healing is right for one person, but not right for another. While there are some general mental health effects of sexual violence, this book outlines and describes the impact of particular types of sexual violation. Whether the survivor has experienced childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault during adulthood, marital rape, sexual harassment, sex trafficking, or sexual violence within the military, they will find aspects of her experience in these pages. Once survivors understand the ways in which they have been affected, they are introduced to various pathways to surviving sexual violence and moving forward. The chapters provide case examples and specific activities which give a fuller description of the ways survivors can make use of the particular approaches, which include mind-body practices, counseling, group therapies, self-defense training, and others. Anyone who has been a victim of sexual violence, or knows and cares about someone who has, will find relief in these pages, which offer practical approaches to finding balance and healing.
Author Biography
Thema Bryant-Davis is associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, where she also is director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab. Bryant-Davis, a former American Psychological Association representative to the United Nations and former President of the Society for the Psychology of Women, is author of Thriving in the Wake of Trauma: A Multicultural Guide which won an Academic Choice Award. She was also awarded the Emerging Leader of Women in Psychology Award. She was elected a member of the Committee on Women in Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She is an associate editor for Psychological Trauma, the premiere APA journal on traumatic stress and recovery. She is a trainer for rape crisis centers nationally and internationally and has provided training for mental health professionals, medical personnel, judges, police officers, religious leaders, and community members on sexual violence prevention and intervention.
