Review

A guide for survivors

SEXUAL VIOLENCE: the reality for women
The London Rape Crisis Centre
The Women’s Press, 1999, £8.99

Public awareness about sexual violence has increased over the past decade. Common myths are now not so widely believed, and the emerging view is that women of all ages, classes, races and appearances are the victims of rape and sexual assault, committed not only by strangers but also by friends and acquaintances.

Changes in the law, along with greater support from police, courts, and voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis Centres, have led to a huge increase in the number of women reporting incidents. Nonetheless, women who have been assaulted continue to face ignorance and prejudice, and many assaults are still not recorded or taken seriously.

This book is essential reading for any woman who has been subjected to sexual violence. It seeks to answer some of the questions commonly raised by ‘survivors’ and offers detailed advice about how to cope with some of the seemingly uncontrollable feelings that may arise after an attack. In effect it counsels the ‘survivor’.

The book also presents detailed information about the police and court procedures a women will face if she decides to report an incident of sexual violence, and mentally prepares the ‘survivor’ to cope with the disbelief and prejudice still prevalent within the legal system. Sexual assault of girls is dealt with as a separate issue, as is sexual harassment of women at work.

This book is aimed not only at ‘survivors’ of sexual violence but also at their friends and families. It provides pointers on how to help somebody close to you who has been raped or assaulted. It is a useful source book for a wide range of professionals, including social workers and legal advisors.

Overall, this accessible book provides information and advice that will help women who have been sexually assaulted come to terms with what has happened to them. Its one limitation is that it ignores the fact that quite often boys, and occasionally men, are also sexually assaulted. It is this issue that now needs to be addressed.