You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
In this valuable, informative and complicated book, Dr. Pasquali from Britain and Dr. Thomson-Salo from Italy offer a composite of numerous articles written by clinicians internationally. It is particularly valuable in illuminating various types of abuse and international responses to these. The book’s sensitivity to therapists treating those who have been abused is remarkable. It offers a description of many kinds of abuse, treatment for its victims, and assistance to those treating them.
The book is divided into two sections, Part I, “Mainly Clinical,” focuses primarily upon psychoanalytic treatment of those who have suffered abuse. While the authors attempt to understand and ease victims’ pain, they suggest that abuse always takes place in the context of a relationship, involves misuse of power, is traumatically overwhelming to the child, and evokes strong countertransference in the workers (social workers and psychoanalysts) providing their treatment.
In Part II, “Protecting the Care Systems to Prevent Burn-Out,” the editors attempt to understand and ease the pain of those treating the children, since they too are also victimized. This broadened discussion of abuse is a unique contribution to discussions of sexual abuse. Of particular note is their description of issues relevant to refugee populations, which is, of course, particularly relevant at this time. In both sections, the editors offer illuminating discussions of their grave concerns about individuals and societies, a unique contribution to the topic of sexual abuse.
The first section, “Mainly Clinical,” includes illuminating articles about clinical aspects of abuse. The contributors did not address the topic of “abuse” as an act, versus a person’s reaction to the act or situation, which I believe might have been clarifying. For example, one individual’s reactions to a particular event or situation can range from one extreme to another of no apparent reaction, to the other extreme of feeling abused or sever