Mother's Guide to Recovery After the Disclosure of Incest

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to create a manual for mothers who have discovered their child has been a victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse. The manual focuses on the needs of mothers and the actions they can take to overcome the obstacles as a result of the sexual abuse of their child. Some of these obstacles include how to handle the responses of family and friends, addressing a child's behavior problems and understanding their child after the abuse. The manual also focuses on the mother's past experiences, cultural and religious backgrounds, losses as a result of the sexual abuse, and how these factors influence the way they respond to their child's intrafamilial sexual abuse. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of self-care and understanding about their own feelings so they are able to support their child through the process of recovery and protect their child from further victimization of the perpetrator.