Intimate Betrayal : Understanding and Responding to the Trauma of Acquaintance Rape

Acquaintance rape is a serious social problem, yet it remains widely misunderstood by the general public and by practitioners working with both survivors and perpetrators. This title impacts upon what survivors do after the assault, on the services survivors receive, on the prosecution of perpetrators and on efforts to prevent the problem.

Focused and timely. . . . Chapters on special issues highlight marital rape, legal factors, the recovery process, and prevention. Important factual information is interspersed with painfully graphic first-person responses from survivors. This book is an important contribution to the trauma and recovery literature. --Terry L. Sweig in READINGS: A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health "This book addresses the problem of acquaintance rape and its complexity in a comprehensive manner. The book provides helpful information and treatment suggestions for those professionals who wish to know more about this important issue. It is a useful addition to the field of mental health." --Doody′s Health Sciences Book Review Journal "Spousal rape and acquaintance rape are treated in this book. It is an important text for therapists in the field." --Ron MacIssac, review in What′s Happening?, Victoria, B.C. Every year thousands of women are raped by someone they know and never report the sexual assault, partly because acquaintance rape is still widely misunderstood in our society and victims are often blamed for the crime. Addressing a need to change perceptions about this type of assault, this important book informs and educates about the nature of acquaintance rape and its impact on the victim, intervention, and prevention. The chapters on intervention include material on crisis intervention, tools for effective rape counseling, and strategies for meeting the psychosocial needs of survivors who are facing long-term recovery due to previous sexual assault victimization. Survivors vividly describe the events in their own words, bringing home the horror of acquaintance rape and the immediate need for action to prevent it. The authors also offer a special chapter on marital rape to expose this long-denied and insidious form of rape. In addition, a useful review of current literature pinpoints interventions crucial to rape prevention. Intimate Betrayal is essential reading for mental health professionals; crisis centers, student services, and law enforcement personnel; pastoral counselors, legal professionals; social workers; and advanced clinical students. But in addition to the helping professionals, this memorable book provides information important to any reader interested in understanding the nature and treatment of acquaintance rape.