The Haworth Press, Inc. Most of the contemporary professional response to child sexual abuse has been directed toward the abuse of females. This has included both research and treatment. While the abuse of boys and men has been acknowledged, there is minimal research and discussion of treatment. This book seeks to fill that barren area. There are two aspects to the material in the book. The first is anecdotal evidence offered to explain and to treat males who have been abused, physically, emotionally, and/or sexually. The second is the research that is available on the abuse of males. The latter is adequately reported and consists mostly of information about incidence and prevalence. The anecdotal information is primarily theoretical development of dynamic explanations for effects of the abuse and accounts of treatment approaches that appear to be beneficial. The second chapter is a discussion of an important reality that I have not seen discussed anywhere else. This is the impact of abuse on the partners of those abused. While it is mainly psychodynamic, this chapter alone is worth the cost of the book. It is a beginning point to having some ability to respond to the needs of those who are involved in the aftermath of abuse not because they have been abused but rather because they are trying to find a way to be loving and compassionate to someone else who has been abused. Spouses, family, and friends of those who have been abused are a very significant factor in what happens to the abused individual yet they have been almost completely overlooked. The book is somewhat flawed by the feminist approach to how men are raised and socialized. Men are presented as autocratic, patriarchal, oppressive, and violent. Some men may not find it helpful to have their development perceived as brutal and abusive. At least some men may have found their relationship with fathers and other adult males supportive and positive rather than violent and punitive. Nevertheless, the book is helpful to assist in generating awareness and first steps in meeting a serious and significant issue. Reviewed by Ralph Underwager, Institute for Psychological Therapies.
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