Showing titles in Abuse

Kind and loyal, Elva was a shy young girl from a typical English seaside town who was swept off her feet by a handsome older Italian bodybuilder. It was all she had ever wanted; the promise of life as a loving mother and devoted wife. But a dark secret from her past left her vulnerable to Bruno's brooding, possessive nature, and behind closed doors, Elva's family idyll turned into a reign of terror of both mental and physical abuse for her and her children. Their daughter Natalia speaks for the first time about how the family suffered.

Childhood sexual abuse (or child sexual abuse/CSA) is not only an assault on the body—it is an assault on the mind and on the spirit. It is an insult to the victim’s integrity, her self-esteem, his very being. Besides imposing a significantly higher risk of conditions like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, suicidality, substance abuse, and learning & educational difficulties, the most devastating consequence of childhood sexual abuse is shame.

Do you dread going into work? Do you have a problem falling asleep on a Sunday night because going to work in the morning is the last thing you want to do? You’ve tried hard to set your boundaries with your narcissistic coworker and enforce them, but every time you do, your shitty coworker somehow dismisses them, which causes you to freeze up. You could go to HR, but you fear retaliation. The great news is that you don’t have to put up with this kind of behavior anymore.

If You’ve Ever Felt Controlled, Gaslit, or Powerless in a Conversation… This book is for you! Do you constantly find yourself on the losing side of influence? Ever walked away from a conversation feeling manipulated but couldn’t prove it? Do you feel like others are pulling the strings in your relationships, career, or social life… and you can’t figure out how to fight back? Most people are completely blind to the psychological tactics being used against them every single day—by narcissists, salespeople, partners, bosses, and even “friends”.

This haunting yet wry coming-of-age memoir set at an all-girls summer camp fast-forwards decades into the future as Barbara Graham grapples with the knowledge that the "love affair" she believed she'd shared with her female camp counselor in the 1960s fits every definition of sexual abuse. The book will appeal to anyone who has experienced a betrayal of trust or conflated love and abuse.

A story of healing and a guide to seeking justice after sexual abuse from Brooke Axtell, one of the foremost survivor experts on sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking When Brooke Axtell was seven years old, her nanny subjected her to sex trafficking. Today, she is a champion...

Emily Smith was held in a prison of fear for 10 years. When she was four, her father left and a new man was brought into her life. He loved her, he kept telling her so, but the emotional and physical abuse she suffered at his hands were a daily nightmare. Until one day, after he crept into her bedroom, her life became unbearable. Emily found she was different in another way as her autism became more noticeable and punishments for her 'abnormal' behaviour more severe. Astonishingly, she managed to escape her home of hell, where she was abused right in front of her mother.

Imagine never being able to close your eyes and remember the feel of your mother’s arms wrapped around you. Now imagine closing your eyes and remembering your mother’s tears splashing down on your face as she is on top of you, crying as she is trying to choke you to death. My mother left me these memories and many more during my traumatic childhood. After many years of struggling with trying to understand "Why me?" I took back control of my life and started saying, "It was me, now what am I going to do?" The answer is my book, "Why Me?"

Based on over a decade of clinical and domestic abuse research, Women with Controlling Partners will help you identify the coercive constraints that can be predictive of intimate partner abuse, recognize the harmful effects of psychological abuse on your mental and physical health, and gain the personal strength and power to break free. Using the author's three-stage recovery model, you'll be empowered to move out of denial, deconstruct what holds you psychologically captive, and take back your life.

Chrissie Foster is the mother who brought the rich and powerful Catholic Church to its knees over its global abuse of children, including two of her daughters, Emma and Katie. Like the Boston Globe's Spotlight team, she built an undeniable case in her first book Hell on the Way to Heaven, which helped inspire Australian governments to hold world-leading inquiries.

Radical Self-Respect is a book about changing our mindsets and how we look at our own lives. It all starts with us. In this book I teach others how to practice Radical Self-Respect in all areas of life. If people act on the lessons of this book, their lives will be changed forever. This book is a game changer and can serve as a catalyst for achieving great results in all areas of life!

Meredith Maran lived a daughter's nightmare: she accused her father of sexual abuse, then realized, nearly too late, that he was innocent. During the 1980s and 1990s, tens of thousands of Americans became convinced that they had repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse, and then, decades later, recovered those memories in therapy. Journalist, mother, and daughter Meredith Maran was one of them.

Does he treat you badly when no one is looking, including in the bedroom? Is he neglecting you or the opposite–do you feel like you have to give in to intimacy you don’t like and don’t want? Have you wondered if he’s cheating? Do you feel stuck and unable to leave? When you try to talk to him about it, he gives you the silent treatment or goes into a rage–he acts like he’s the victim and blames it on you. You’ve learned to walk on eggshells, and you dread going home to him.

When Michael Clark was arrested for domestic violence and his wife moved out, he saw his world falling apart. He knew this was not the person he wanted to be. He was eager to change, but didn’t know how. Everything he’d tried in the past to control his behavior had fallen short. Part memoir, part how-to, From Villain to Hero is unique among domestic violence and domestic abuse books. Michael’s true story provides listeners rare, first-hand insight into a person’s journey from being a violent and abusive partner to becoming a safe and emotionally healthy one.

Dr. Kerry McAvoy was juggling the life of an overly-committed mom, wife, and psychologist when the loss of her husband brought her world to a crashing halt. Then she meets Cesar, a charming, handsome, and ambitious man who sweeps her off her feet with the promise of new love.

In this brave and beautiful memoir, written with the raw honesty and devastating openness of The Glass Castle and The Liar’s Club, a woman chronicles how her marriage devolved from a love story into a shocking tale of abuse—examining the tenderness and violence entwined in the relationship...

For several years, a prolific predator haunted Bristol. Avon and Somerset Police had tried all their usual tactics to catch the ‘Clifton Rapist’, and public pressure was mounting. In 1979, a daring new plan was introduced. A small group of young female officers – some aged just 18 – put their lives on the line, walking the quiet residential roads late at night, acting as bait. Drawing on in-depth research and first-hand interviews with the women at the heart of the operation, Decoy is a dramatic retelling of one of the most groundbreaking agent provocateur stings in British history.

Did growing up with a narcissistic father leave you hurt and confused? Do you feel lost and need help to heal? This audiobook can guide you to recovery and self-discovery.

Ava Thomas knew leaving was the right decision. Trapped and manipulated in her relationship, and after yet another violent beating whilst she was pregnant, Ava was helped to a women's refuge with her children. Listening to the stories of other women there, Ava began thinking back to where it all started to go wrong. Brought up by a mother who never loved her, Ava sought that missing care and warmth elsewhere. Running away to her father's home as a teenager, she thought she might finally be safe. But after being abused by her own brother, she was thrown out onto the streets.

Haunted by the ghosts of toxic relationships? Struggling with a crippling emotional hangover after escaping narcissistic abuse or manipulation? You are not alone. The stark reality is that toxic relationships can do more than just leave emotional scars—they can fundamentally alter your perception of love, trust, and self-worth. The solution? Arm yourself with the tools, strategies, and insights to heal, reclaim your autonomy, and build relationships that celebrate your true self.