Families & Caregivers

The headlines have been filled with the scandals in the churches, sports, schools, and the entertainment industry. Those stories were not easy to report at first, but the media now routinely reports with accuracy and sensitivity (usually) on these arenas. That leaves out the place where the most abuse (by category) occurs. That’s the family, which I often call the “last frontier,” because it is the most difficult for society to see or accept as true.

No one wants to think that defenseless children are at risk simply from going home, or that fathers, mothers, siblings, or grandparents would do horrendous things to their children. But they do. And our child protective service organizations in the states struggle to keep up with the magnitude of it.

If you watch nothing else to understand how our society has let down our children who are being abused in families, watch the 6-part documentary The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez on Netflix.

Families are also a front line to protecting children, of course, and this section is for you, and the caregivers who are spending so much time with children. Parents need to understand the signs of sex abuse and the effective tips to prevent harm, which is why CHILD USA has put together these tips. There are numerous resources in this universe, and we have selected the ones we believe will be the most helpful.

We have far to go to educate the culture, the courts, and the public about the prevalence of sex abuse at home, where a child should be safe and sound. That is one of the goals of this section, and, of course, of CHILD USA itself!

Here’s to nurturing and loving our children.

— Prof. Marci Hamilton, Founder/CEO of CHILD USA

Books

Our selected books are typically available in public and/or university libraries.

Duck, Duck Groom: Understanding How a Child Becomes a Target

by Anna Sonoda, LCSW

The book provides the straight talk parents need about how predators target families and what caring adults can do to interrupt grooming.

 

Cheering for the Children: Creating Pathways to HOPE for Children Exposed to Trauma

by Casey Gwinn

The book provides the straight talk parents need about how predators target families and what caring adults can do to interrupt grooming.

The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

The book centers around a young girl who experiences child sexual abuse at the hands of her father. She is eventually married off to an older man who continues to abuse her.

Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy – Second Edition

by Christine A. Courtois

The book focuses on the various aspects of incestuous childhood sexual abuse including the resulting neurological, attachment, and stress disorders.

How Long Does It Hurt? A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, their Friends and their Families

by Cynthia Mather

The book was written by an incest survivor to help other incest survivors with their feelings of isolation, self-doubt, and confusion.

In Pieces

by Sally Field

Sally Field’s autobiography includes revelations about being abused by her stepfather, which made her feel “helpless.”

Not Child’s Play: An Anthology on Brother-Sister Incest

by Risa Shaw

The anthology uses prose, poetry, and art to share the stories of 35 women who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of their brothers.

Off Limits: A Parent’s Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse

by Sandy K. Wurtele

The book provides parents and teachers with tips and advice to protect the children in their care from childhood sexual abuse, such as warning signs of abuse.

Prosecuted but Not Silenced

by Maralee Mclean

The book focuses on the journey of a mother who fights against the justice system to prevent her daughter from living with the child’s abusive father.

Worthy

by Kimberly Plante

This books tells what it is really like to be a child in an abusive home but one who survives and then thrives.

Sold

by Patricia McCormick

The book focuses on a young girl living in a poor family in the mountains of Nepal. The young girl is tricked into joining a brothel when a local man offers her employment as a “maid.”

Life with My Idiot Family

by Kathy Picard

Seven-year-old little girls love their daddies. Kathy was no exception, so when her daddy started paying “special” attention to her, she felt “special” in turn. Her daddy loved her. What could be better than that?

Books for Children

Secrets Don't Keep Me Safe

by Latrice Bankhead

This book is a magical story created to empower children to use their voices as their superpower as they discover how to keep themselves safe from darkhearts. It is intended to be read to or with children by parents or loved ones.

Consent (for Kids): Boundaries, Respect, and Being In Charge of You

by Rachel Brian

The book provides an age-appropriate guide on the ways that children should approach consent and their rights to their bodies.

Mi Cuerpo es un Regalo (My Body is a Gift, en español)

by Vinka Jackson

The book is a guide for young children about body autonomy and the beauty of the human body. The target age range is between zero and seven years old. (El libro es un guía sobre el cuerpo humano y al autocuidado. Los niños tienen cero a siete años pueden usar este libro).

Monty's Day in Court

by Jessica Miles

This books helps children better understand the process of testifying in court and to reduce retraumatization.

My Body Is Private

by Linda Girard

The story is told from the point of view of a child who explains how to uncomfortable touches. The target age is between four and eight years old.

Please Tell! A Child’s Story about Sexual Abuse

by Jessie

The book encourages children to speak up about their sexual abuse and seek help. The target age range is three and up.

Sam Speaks Out

by Linda Sky Grossman

The fictional story centers around Sam who speaks out about a neighbor’s behavior. The target age range is four to six.

Something Happened and I’m Scared to Tell

by Patricia Kehoe

The book helps abused children share their story while also reminding them that they are not to blame for the situation. The target age is between three and eight.

Telling Isn’t Tattling

by Kathryn Hammerseng

The book uses examples to help children differentiate between telling when something inappropriate has happened and tattling against someone. The target age range is four to ten.

A Terrible Thing Happened

by Margaret Holmes

The book centers around a small child who has witnessed a negative event and all of the uncomfortable feelings that develop as a result of the sighting. The target age range is four to seven.

That Uh-oh Feeling: A Story about Touch

by Kathryn Cole

The story is a work of fiction that teaches children how to handle adults that make them feel uncomfortable. The target age is six to eight.

Those are MY Private Parts

by Diane Hansen

The goals of the book is provide parents with a starting point to discuss sexual abuse with their children.

The Trouble with Secrets

by Karen Johnsen

The book hopes to provide children with a guide about the types of secrets to hide and when to share a secret. The age range is between four and ten years old.

Uncle Willy’s Tickles: A Child’s Right to Say No

by Marcie Aboff

The short book engages in a child-friendly discussion of bodily autonomy and consent. The target age range is three to eight years old.

I Love You So Much That

by Kathy Picard

Exciting news! The Second Edition of I Love You So Much That… is finally available. 

Te amo tanto que...

by Kathy Picard

Third edition is interactive and bilingual, both Spanish and English

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