Talking About Sexual Abuse: The Value of Short-Term Groups for Women Survivors
Keywords:
SurvivorsAbstract
Many women who are adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse suffer long-lasting and devastating consequences. Some of the lasting effects are low self-esteem, depression, a sense of guilt and shame, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and unsatisfying personal relationships. Talking about the abuse with other women survivors can have a substantial therapeutic impact. This article describes the value of short-term groups as a means to help heal the scars of childhood sexual abuse, particularly incest.
References
Baker-Miller, J. (1993). A relational reframing of therapy. Paper presented at the Learning From Women Conference, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bass, E., & Davis, L. (1988). The courage to heal. New York: Harper & Row.
Gazda, G. (1982). Group psychotherapy and group counseling: Definition and heritage. In Gazda, G. (Ed.), Basic approaches to group psychotherapy and group counseling. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Gomes-Schwartz, B., Horowitz, J., & Cardarell, A. (1990). Child sexual abuse: The initial effects. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Gordy, P. (1983). Group work that supports adult victims of childhood incest. Social Casework, 64, 300-307.
Greenwald, E., Leitenberg, H., Cado, S., Tarran, M. (1990). Childhood sexual abuse: Long-term effects on psychological and sexual functioning in a nonclinical and nonstudent sample of adult women. Child Abuse and Neglect,14 503-513.
Herman, J. (1981). Father-daughter incest. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Jackson, J., Calhoun, K., Amick, A., Maddever, & Habif, V. (1990). Young adult women who report childhood intrafamilial sexual abuse: Subsequent adjustment. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19(3). 211-221
Kinsey, A., Pomeroy, W., Martin, C., & Gebhard, P. (1953). Sexual behavior in the human female. Philadelphia: W .B. Saunders.
Knight, C. (1990). Use of support groups with adult female survivors of child sexual abuse. Social Work, 35(3), 202-206,
McIntyre, K. (1981). Role of mothers in father-daughter incest: A feminist analysis. Social Work, 26(1), 463-469.
Moreno, J. L. (Ed.) (1966). The international handbook of group psychotherapy. New York: Philosophical Library.
Parker, S., & Parker, H. (1991). Female victims of child sexual abuse: Adult adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 6(2), 183-197.
Rich, A. (1979). Disloyal to civilization. Lies, secrets, and silence. New York: Norton.
Russell, D. (1986). The secret trauma: Incest in the lives of girls and women. New York: Basic Books.
Schwartz, W. (1961). The social worker in the group. In New Perspectives on Services to Groups: Theory, Organization, Practice (pp. 7-34). New York: National Association of Social Workers.
Shapiro, J., Leifer, M., Martone, M., & Kassem, L. (1990). Multimethod assessment of depression in sexually abused girls. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55(1&2), 234-248.
Shulman, L. (1992). The skills of helping individuals, families and groups. Itasca, IL: Peacock.
Trimpey, M. (1989). Self-esteem and anxiety-key issues in an abused women's support group. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 10, 297--308.
Tsai, M., Feldman-Summers, S., & Edgar, M. (1979). Childhood molestation: Variables related to differential impact on psychosexual functioning in adult women. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 88, 407-417.
Wodarski, J. (1987). An examination of spouse abuse: Practice issues for the profession. Clinical Social Work Journal, 15(2), 172-187.
Yassen, J., & Glass, L. (1984). Sexual assault survivors groups: A feminist practice perspective. Social Work, 29, 252-257.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.