What is On This Page:
This page has grown quite large, and I would like to divide into separate pages so the resources here would be easier to locate for people. However, I am disabled by chronic, physical diseases which are often seriously debilitating, and I have very limited energy for working on this website. So taking on that task is not something I can do at this time. I would rather spend the energy I have to work on this website in adding more useful resources here, even if it does mean this is one very long page. To make things easier for you, here is a list of what is on this page. To get to a particular section, just click the linked title of that section, and if all is working well, you will be taken there.

-General support sites for survivors of child abuse (and also often applicable to survivors of adult abuse and sexual assault). Many of these sites have chat rooms, message boards, email lists, or other methods for you to find support from other survivors, as well as having useful information and lists of resources. Some outdated links have been removed, and new sites have been added recently.

-Trauma, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(s) information and resources. These sites and articles have information explaining PTSD, and help with dealing with PTSD, research into different topics related to trauma and abuse, and resources on finding treatment and support.

-Dissociative Disorders, including Dissociative Identity Disorder. These sites and articles relate to the survival tool of dissociation, which many survivors of abuse rely upon as children, to live. They also give information, support, and ways to find help in dealing with dissociative disorders, something that affects many survivors of prolonged and severe trauma.

-Depression and Suicidality these sites have information and offer support online in the form of message boards, chat rooms, and email lists for people who are dealing with depression and other mood disorders, or feeling seriously depressed and possibly suicidal

-Self-Harm information for people who have addictions to self-injury, otherwise known as self-mutilation or cutting.

-Eating Disorder resources are found on  separate page, which is also linked here.

-Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Resources. This section now has a variety of different sites giving information about various self-help groups and treatment programs, as well as information.

-Other Mental Health Issues has a few sites related to anxiety, panic, passive-aggressive behavior and so-called "borderline personality disorder"

-Sexual Compulsions, Addictions, and Re-enacting Trauma is a section with information and resources for self-help in dealing with this type of unhealthy coping behavior, which is addictive to some survivors of sexual abuse.

-Prostitution, Sex Work, and Re-enacting Trauma provides information about and for women involved in any type of sex work, as most women involved in such work are survivors of abuse, and very often sexual abuse. The articles and websites linked here relate to all forms of sex work, including stripping, escort jobs, street prostitution, pornography, and others. They provide useful facts about the dangers of such jobs, the real experiences of women who are in them, and some of these sites are specifically geared towards harm reduction for people involved in sex work right now.

-General Self Help, Treatment, and Recovery has sites where you can locate a therapist near you, or search large databases to find self-help and support groups on a large variety of life issues. There are also some sites here geared towards advocacy for people labeled with mental illnesses. There are also a couple of sites here where teenagers can find support and information on a variety of mental health issues and life problems, including abuse, depression and suicidality.

-Articles and Research. These relate to a large variety of issues that affect survivors of child abuse, and sites with collections of articles also.

-Activism to Prevent and Combat Child Abuse. All the links on this section go to websites or organizations which are dedicated to creating awareness about abuse, preventing abuse, promoting the welfare of children, and stopping all forms of child abuse and exploitation

Child Abuse Survivors' Support - General

VOICES: Victims of Incest Can Emerge Survivors is an international organization with a web site in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Dutch. It offers members support through  a variety of Special Interest Groups, one of which is an email group, and The Chorus Newsletter.

The Wounded Healer Journal is a huge forum on many topics related to abuse, which has been online for several years. It is a popular site with a lot of people who can give you support. There are links to two chat rooms for survivors here, and a large number of message board folders. There are also resources to get help in dealing with specific issues and finding treatment.

The Saferoom Project has conferences for adult survivors of child abuse. Their website has several different ways for you to find support, either via Yahoo groups, email lists, and online chat. Some of these are not immediately available to new members. This organization is specifically designed for adult survivors dealing with child abuse isses.

HAVOCA: Help for Adult Victims of Child Abuse is an organization in the UK with a phone number you can call and a website of resources for support

The Healthy Place.com Abuse Issues Community has a message board forum, a place where you can create online diaries or read the diaries of other survivors there, an email list and support systems through Instant Messaging and ICQ chat online, as well as several chat rooms for abuse survivors. Healthy Place is a large website and also has a community on dissociative disorders, which is relevant to many abuse survivors, one on eating disorders, on on addictions, one on sex and sexuality, and other topics. There unfortunately a lot of advertisements on this site, but the chat system is easy to use as it uses java scripts, and this may be more simple for some people that IRC (internet relay chat) type rooms, which many other sites use.

Abused, Empowered, Survive, Thrive is a website with message board forums for support, for survivors of abuse

Recovery Abuse Survivors' Forum has a few message boards for survivors and also for partners of abuse survivors

All These Years is a site for adult survivors of child abuse, inspired by Tori Amos. There is a message board forum here and information.

Pandora's Aquarium is a large message board forum used by survivors of childhood abuse, particularly and most often sexual abuse, and all survivors of sexual assault/ rape. This forum is connected to several large websites for survivors of sexual violence, including Welcome to Barbados, and Escaping Hades, which are linked on the rape resources page here.You have to join and become a member to use this forum (which is the norm for most message board forums online). It is well-managed by several people and is very popular so there are many other users there to give support.

Peel Out the Watchword is the internet chat room connected to the Pandora's Aquarium message board forum.You can chat here at unscheduled times, and at scheduled times when structured chat discussions are held by moderators.

Two email lists for survivors are listed here. They are run by women affiliated with the Pandora's Aquarium forum. These are lists for survivors of sexual violence. One is for people in the beginning stages of recovery and  the other is for those farther along in the healing process. These lists are kept small, intentionally.

I Survive.Org a support site for survivors which has online forums, articles, and information. This is somewhat like Healthy Place.com in being a huge mental health overall-type site which is also somewhat commercial (I try, mostly, to list non-commercial sites here that have no advertisements and are created by individuals. Sometimes the larger sites are useful to people who don't mind commercial type websites).

Rainbow Hope a site especially for lesbian survivors with forums, articles, online diaries, and links

Mirrors is a support site, for online communications for lesbian survivors of childhood abuse and incest, as well as for l lesbian survivors of adult abuse and rape

DAWWN is the Deaf Abused Women's Warrior Network

Survivors of Incest Anonymous is a 12-step support group, not online, but they have a web site with information

Asarian has some links to other survivors sites and they used to provide an anonymous MUD client on the internet for survivors to communicate, but, since their site information has stated since 2000 that they are not accepting new members, and it is now 2002, I am only keeping their link here because their site has links on it which you might find useful

Asarian-Host.org (updated in addition to the above information). This site has the Asarian free, anonymous email accounts for survivors to used (web based email which can also be used on your PC with your email program), to protect your privacy online, as well as a long list of internet newsgroups hosted by Asarian, on many issues connected to abuse and its aftereffects, with information on how to use these newsgroups.

Butterflies is an internet magazine for victims of incest, sexual abuse, and ritual abuse who have reclaimed their lives. The large site has a support system of several different email lists you can join, poetry people submit, articles, book recommendations, and more resources.

Transformations (another site with the butterfly symbol) is a support and resource site for adult survivors of childhood trauma, with chat rooms, message boards, and an e-zine you can read online with articles and poetry about trauma related issues. This site is applicable to survivors of any form of trauma, not just child abuse.

ASCA Adult Survivors of Abuse Support Groups online and offline.

The Survivors Forum has message boards specifically for survivors of childhood sexual abuse as well as chat rooms for you to use, the poetry of some survivors, and listings of resources

SESAME: Stop Educator Sexual Abuse and Misconduct and Exploitation is an organization dedicated to creating awareness about abuse in schools. The site has stories from survivors of abuse by teachers and accepts stories; there are resources listed for this specific form of abuse. If that link doesn't work try this one.

The Link-Up provides survivors of clergy abuse with information on resources such as self-help groups. They publish a newsletter and document cases. This site lists many valuable resources for survivors, and particularly survivors of abuse by clergy. (updated link)

Reformation.Com adresses the sexual abuse of children by Protestant ministers

Reclaim Your Self: a manual for survivors of sexual victimization is basically an online self-help book (updated link)

Write to Tell is a print newsletter (offline) by and for adult survivors.

Free To Be's: Breaking  the Silence of Abuse is one of many sites where you can find support through mailing lists and message boards and share your story. This site includes a section on therapy abuse.

The Treehouse chat and internet forums for adult survivors of childhood abuse and trauma, to provide support

Male Survivors Issues and Resources a site created by a male survivor with links and information specifically for male survivors of childhood abuse, put here, even though this is a site for women, because this is also a feminist website and the patriarchy that allows child abuse to flourish affects boys and women as well as girls and men

Male Survivors (the National Association Against the Sexual Abuse of Males) is an organization for male survivors and their site has many resources for male survivors of childhood abuse or sexual violence.

Healing Journey is an M-IRC chat for survivors of abuse (now connected to the Wounded Healer Journal site) (updated link)

# Survivors On the Net is a site linking to an IRC (internet relay chat) chatroom on the web, with information on how to join this chat room and how to use it. It is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, based in the U.K.

MollyKat's Resources for Survivors is a large collection of links on many abuse issues, including dissociation and PTSD, other aftereffects, advice, and places to find support (corrected link)

Still Rising is a resource site wth many links for survivors of trauma, with a section for survivors under the age of 18 separated from the rest of the site, which is geared toward adults.

Angels in the Night is a site particularly for kids and teenagers who have been, or are now being, abused. They have information of use to you, ways to get help right now, and a chat room for you to have a place to talk

Parents and Loved Ones of Abuse and Rape Survivors is a support and information site for support people of survivors

Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or disorders)

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sanctuary has clinical information, message boards, chat, and news about PTSD

Judith Herman's Trauma and Recovery was a landmark book on the topic of trauma, and specifically detailed "complex post-traumatic stress disorder" as the proper definition for what many survivors of prolonged childhood trauma suffer from. This is a page that has excerpts of her book and information about it, on Jim Hopper's recovered memories website. You can find several quotes from this book on the Testimony pages of this website too.

The EMDR Institute has information about EMDR, a type of treatment some therapists use for people with post traumatic stress disorder

Trauma Central by Hope E. Morrow, MA, MFT, CTS is most likely one of the most comprehensive resources for trauma information of any kind on the web. Just about everything you can imagine related to trauma is here, including extensive articles on PTSD, dissociation, and all forms of abuse of children and adults.

Pat McClendon is a clinical social worker with a large site of resources and information on trauma

David Baldwin's Trauma Information Pages have many good articles, resources, and a huge amount of useful information

The National Center for PTSD is and excellent source of articles on many topics related to PTSD in children, adolescents, and adults who have gone through various types of trauma. It is also home of the PILOTS database, which is said to be the largest collection of PTSD research in the world, and you can search it online.

Sidran is an organization located in Lutherville, MD that provides information on traumatic memories, dissociation, PTSD and related issues on it's web site and through mail-order. They also have  a page with dental tips for adult survivors.

"The Spectrum of Dissociative Disorders - An Overview of Diagnosis and Treatment" - by Joan Turkus, M.D, although this article is a bit outdated (and I've heard that the author herself said this), it is posted on many websites as there are so few articles online on this particular topic.

The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists is an international organization that offers certification to people who provide treatment for traumatic stress.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder research articles from Internet Mental Health - has a large list of related topics to search through

Dissociative Disorders, Including Dissociative Identity Disorder

Many Voices is a print newsletter you can order about trauma, dissociation, and Dissociative Identity Disorder. The site has some samples to read and information.

Dissociation Articles this is a large bibliography of many articles related to dissociation and dissociative disorders that can be found offline

The International Society for the Study of Dissociation will send you a list of referrals to therapist
members of their organization and trained in treating dissociative disorders

The Myth of Sanity is a recent book by Martha Stout, Phd on dissociation and dissociative disorders, which explains that DID is more common than many people realize and often misdiagnosed or not recognized. You can read excerpts of this book on this page.

The Wonderful World of the Mid-Continuum  (updated since the old link didn't work but I found this page again so it has been added here, again) describes the experience of dissociation on a continuum by someone who is "plural" (ie, multiple) but does not fit the criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder. The diagnosis used by mental health professionals for people in this category is usually Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS). Some people who are diagnosed with DDNOS may later by diagnosed with DID; others may remain in the same state of dissociated with different parts but not with parts that are as separated as those in people with DID. See this page for some other people's possibly less confusing (or more confusing, depending on who you are and what confuses you), ways of describing this.

Healing Hopes has many helpful articles about various aspects of DID and also a forum and chat area. There articles giving advice to people with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and also information for other people.

Mosaic Minds has articles and a forum for discussions on many topics related to DID, for people with DID as well as supporters. Their are sections for child parts/alters here too.

Shattered Selves is an informative site with a page on a topic that is hard to find information about, "co-conscious DID/MPD" - made by a person with DID

WeRMany has informative articles, chat, forums, email support lists and a section for child parts

Soaring Stars/Tattered Hearts is a site of informational pages on DID and many related topics

The MPD-DID Information Pages have coping tips, a description of DID and what it is, a list of email groups, and a list of treatment centers for DID

Depression and Suicidality

The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association provides information, does education and advocacy work, and holds free support groups around the United States and in a few other countries. Call toll-free 1-800-826-3632

Depressed Anonymous has 12-step groups in some parts of the United States

Wings of Madness: Depression Information and Support is a large site which has articles on many aspects of mood disorders and related issues for people with various forms of depression, including Bipolar disorder, information on using online support forums and advice based on personal experiences

Alt.Support.Depression is an internet newsgroup and this is a detailed users' guide to tell you how to use it

Andrew's Depression Site is not specifically for women but it is one of the most comprehensive sites on depressive disorders that I have come across

Walkers In Darkness is a large site with information on depression and support via chat rooms and email lists, which has been online for several years and seems to be one of the more popular sites on depression and other mood disorders for people looking for support and information

About.com's Depression site has a forum of message boards and a chat room where you can communicate with other people dealing with depression and mood disorders. There are also a number of links here that might be useful. Like all sites on About.com (which is owned by the same company that owns Delphi forums, you have to join and become a member, before being able to use the forum portion of the site).

The MSN Depression Web Community has online chat and message board forums on Microsoft's community system

Healthy Place.Com's Depression Community has information on many different types of mood disorders (biochemical depression and other biochemical mood disorders), information on treatments, links to other resources, and their site has chat rooms, message boards, and a mailing list you can join. The HealthyPlace.com website is a large mental health community site which also has sections on other issues, not just depression.

The Yellow Ribbon Campaign for the prevention of teenage suicide

Teen Help.org has support groups and online chats for teenagers to talk with other teenagers and "peer mentors" about various problems, including depression, suicidality, self injury, rape and abuse. They also offer email support, responding to teenagers who write to them about problems.

Suicide Crisis Questions and Answers with some resources (see, also the top of this page for resources if you are feeling suicidal)

Why Live? reasons not to kill yourself, geared specifically toward people who have a biochemical (ie, a "disease") depression as opposed to depression that is not endogenous (such as the kind that results from abuse. Some people who are abuse survivors also have a biochemical depression. If you are feeling suicidal, please also see the resources at the top of this page

Depression Resources from Have-a-Heart's suicide and depression site

Spirit of Wisdom is a forum online for people dealing with depression to find support

The Dark Side of the Emporium is another message board forum for people dealing with depression

Beating the Beast is a message board forum and chat room website for people dealing with depression to find support from others

The National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide
                                              

Self Mutilation ( Self Harm, Self Injury, Cutting)

Secret Shame: Self Injury Information and Support was one of the first web sites in existence on self mutilation, although this addictive act is not uncommon, especially among abuse survivors. This site offers a chat room and the Bodies Under Seige email list for support.

Self Harm.Com has lots of information on self injury issues for people with this addiction and for people who care about them; links to many resources

Self Harm Information and Resources from Befrienders International includes advice and connections for people who need help immediately

Self Injury: Information and Resources is a site from the U.K. that has coping tips.

Kharre's Home is a site created by a woman with a self-injury addiction that has resources and information for other people who injure themselves

Secret Cutting and the Pain of Self Injury is another site by a person who has a self-injury problem, created to provide information and help others with this problem

Mollykat's tips on distracting yourself for people who are addicted to self mutilation

SAFE Alternatives is a treatment program for self-injury. Their web site apppears to be gone.. You can call toll-free: 1-800-DONT-CUT (information line, not a hotline)

Self Injury and Related Issues (SIARI) is a site from the U.K. with resources and information

Eating Disorders

The Something-Fishy Website on Eating Disorders has a lot of helpful information and a database of treatment providers. It is the most comprehensive E.D. site on the web.

Overeaters Anonymous and other twelve step groups for people with food addiction (compulsive overeating) are linked to this page.

*Please also visit the Body Image and Eating Disorders Section of this web site which has many more links to resources on help for eating disorders, and body image issues

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) international web site is in English, French, and Spanish and can give you listings of support groups wherever you are. These are the 12-step support groups originally created by a man named Bill W. who was a stockbroker in the 1930's and these groups have a strong focus on people's need to consider alcoholism a "disease" (not just an addiction) for which they need a higher power (a spiritual higher being of some kind, which to most people is some type of a god), to recover, and that recovery is a continual, lifelong process. For people who do not believe that following this system that has become popularly accepted as the only method of recovery to many people, there are actually a number of other resources in existence, some of which are linked below.

AA Deprogramming is a website where some people share their criticim of the AA program, and of its related parts such as Alanon and describe why they are critical of these programs, using specific reasons, and also personal negative experiences. Women might be interested to read some of these articles as they discuss the outdated view of women that exists within some of the AA books that are still used today despite that these books were all written in the 1930's or shortly thereafter (women got the right to vote in the U.S. in 1920, to put that date in persepective), and were all written by white upper middle class men. This is a unique website, in that it challenges a program which has come to be believed by so many people as the unquestionable standard needed to recover from alcoholism, which is not something all people agree with.

Adult Children of Alcoholics also has an international site with listings of groups for adults dealing with the effects of having alcoholic parents

Alanon is another twelve-step group for people in relationships with alcoholics and the web site also lists Alateen groups for teenagers with alcoholic parents around the world. These groups are connected to AA.

Narcotics Anonymous World Service Office can direct you to their groups (also known as "NA")

Women for Sobriety Inc., gives information on a support groups specifically for women with alcohol addictions, which may be more empowering than the traditional AA 12 step group model, for some women, and has information on women and addictions. There is some online support available on this website in chat rooms where you can talk to other women dealing with substance abuse problems.

Sober Dykes: Women in Recovery for Substance Abuse has information particularly geared to all women, and some specifically for lesbian women and gay men on recovery, primarily using the AA 12 step model, with listings of 12 step groups. They also have several email lists, and a newsletter online which you can joine regardless of whether you are using a 12 step recovery program, some articles of information and recommended books.

Lifering Secular Recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is a program that differs from NA, AA and other 12 step groups in the AA model, in that there is no focus on any higher power as necessary for recovery

Habit Smart is another place to find a recovery program that is an alternative to the AA model

Rational Recovery is another self-help program for alcoholism and drug addiction which is an alternative to the AA higher-power-based model. This group does not advocate needing a higher power or considering yourself powerless to alcoholism or drug addiction.

SOS: Save Our Selves an "alternative path to freedom" is another secular sobriety group for people with addictions

Moderation Management is a self-help program people can use that advocates moderating drinking rather than trying to achieve total, lifelong abstinence

Alcohol Problems and Solutions has information and resources

Directory of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Information from Sober Recovery.Com

Practical Recovery has programs for treatment of alcohol and drug addictions in California and some infomation on their website. They do not view addictions as "diseases".

The Alcoholism and Addiction Resource Guide

DARN- Drug and Alcohol Recovery Network has a database online for people to locate treatment programs

Alternative Recovery for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction a different approach, for people who do not like the twelve-step system

Internet Alcohol Recovery Center

Other Mental Health Issues
The Borderline Personality Disorder Sanctuary has a chatroom, articles and other resources for people diagnosed with this so-called disorder (this is not really a legitimate diagnosis at all in the opinion of some mental health professionals and many other people who understand trauma and the history of how women have been treated by the mental health system)

Kathi's Mental Health Review has clinical information and advice on Borderline Personality Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and other personality disorders (please note I personally am not endorsing any of this information; most of these "disorders" are always the result of abuse)

The Anxiety and Panic Internet Resource has a bulletin board, newsletter and information on various anxiety-related disorders

The Passive-Aggressive Discussion Site has information on passive-aggressive behavior and how to be more assertive rather than passive or aggressive


Sexual Compulsions, Addiction, and Re-enacting Trauma

Myths About Women and Sex Addiction is an article that describes the myths that are commonly believed about women in relation to sexual addictions, as well as mentioning that the huge majority of women with this type of addiction are survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Articles, Essays and Research on Sex and Love Addiction at Open-Mind.com

Women's Sexual Addiction Screening Test that can be taken online from sexhelp.com (a site that also provides referrals to therapists for treatment of sex addiction and sometimes these therapists have experience in dealing with abuse and trauma issues). This test is different from another test online that is for women and men both, because it does not include sexist questions that obviously do not normally pertain to women, such as "have you ever paid for sex?". Women are more likely to have been used for sex in the "sex industry" than to be consumers of it, so such tests are obviously created more for men than women. This one is not.

Cybersex addiction self-help site

National Counsel on Sexual Addictions and Compulsions, this is a portion of their website pertaining specifically to women with sex addiction problems

Sex Addicts Anonymous is a 12-step self-help group

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous is a different 12-step group

Sexual Compulsives Anonymous is yet another 12-step group

Sexaholics Anonymous is still another 12-step group


Sex Work, Prostitution, Re-enacting Trauma

Prostitutes Speak Out on how prostitution harmed their lives, how childhood abuse led them into prostituion, and how they were forced into prostitution at the Maxim Institute website, New Zealand

Survivors of Prostitution Tell Their Stories on the website of the Sage Project, and organization founded by a woman who escaped prostitution and now helps other prostitutes get out of it, get their lives back, and also works with authorities to testify in court when they are prosecuting pimps and johns, and started a program for convicted "johns" (ie, men who hire prostitutes), to educate them about what prostitution is really like for these women and what they are actually doing by being part of it

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women is an NGO (non-governmental organization) working to end sexual exploitation in all its forms, internationally

Prostitution Research and Education maintains a website full of information on how prostitution harms women. This is a U.S. project sponsored by San Francisco area women's groups. There are resources to many services for people who want to escape prostitution, a large list of articles and links.

Interview with Melissa Farley of the Prostitution Research and Education organization, on Merge Magazine's website, lets you know what Farley has learned through her research on prostitution by talking with many women involved in prostitution, and gives her strong opinions about how this is a horrible form of abuse against women, and that all forms of so-called sex work are horrible abuses of women. Her viewpoint is extremely in oppostion to the self-proclaimed feminists and other people who defend the rights of prostitutes and claim that it is a "chosen" profession which some women actually like

Why I Made the Choice to Become a Prostitute a satirical and very powerful article by Nikki Craft and Melissa Farley showing the lunacy of some of the myths as to why women get involved with prostitution

Children of the Night "saving America's children from the ravages of street prostitution" helps many teenagers escape homelessness and prostitution

Sisters Offering Support is affiliated with EPCAT and works to combat commercial sexual exploitation and help people escape the abuses of the sex industry

The Mary Magdalene Project is a residential program in California that helps women escape prostitution

PROSPER: Prostitution Prevention, Education and Risk Reduction works to improve the lives of prostitutes while simultaneously working to end all systems of prostitution. This site provides statistics about prostitutes' lives, such as the huge percentages that have been raped and abused or been homeless. There is information explaining the realities of prostitution, stripping, ad pornography work, on separate pages. There are also "survivor testimonials" here, a page called "What is Sexual Violence" and a harm reduction information page.

Strip Clubs According to Strippers : facts about strip clubs, how strippers are actually treated, and the ugly realities they face in these "jobs" where they are degraded, just like all sex workers

Facts About Strip Clubs: typical strip club activities and abuses of women

Would You Want This Job? a prostitution "want ad" written by the organization, WHISPER: Women Harmed in Systems of Prostitution Engaging in Revolt (as far as I know WHISPER itself no longer exists at this time)

HIPS - Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive is an organization in Washington D.C. that works to provide support and empowerment to women involved in prostitution and also operates a national toll-free hotline 24 hours a day 1-800-676-HIPS. HIPS uses a "harm reduction" philosophy to help people involved in sex work lead healthier lives, and addresses the threats of STD's including HIV/AIDS, abuse, and discrimination can have on sex workers.

Maggie's of Toronto provides information and education to assist sex workers in safety. This is a self-help organization for sex workers

Sex Workers' International Media Watch observes and responds to the media when sex workers' lives are portrayed. This group does not necessarily view prostitution as harmful to women or the result of sexual abuse, however, it may be of interest.

AIM - the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation provides information on risks involved with sex work in the adult film industry, testing for STD's, safety practices that need to be used and often are not, and facts on and information about STD's.

Aumele's Story of Prositution one woman's story of her experiences in sex work

Working In Nevada a sex worker writes about life working in the Nevada legal brothel system

Danzine is an organization of sex workers sharing information for their own safety and rights in Portland, Oregan. They produce a zine that they put out sometimes in strip clubs for the workers. This is a sex workers' rights type of organization, meaning they do not necessarily view sex work as harmful to women at all, and think of it as a choice people make for a job. This link is only being put here for people who might find useful information through it.

The Exotic Dancers' Alliance addresses the lack of civil, human, and labor rights for exotic dancers and other sex workers and advocates for sex workers. This is another sex workers' rights type group, which provides help to people in this field of work but does not necessarily view the work itself as harmful to all the women involved in it.

Law Enforcement: Police Abuse of Prostitutes a page of articles on this topic

Anti-Pornography Campaign at the End Homelessness Now website

Nikki Craft's website has information on pornography, why she disagrees with porn being protected as free speech when it is really violence against women, and links to articles by Andrea Dworkin on this topic
General Self-Help, Support Groups, Treatment, Recovery

The Self-Help Sourcebook Online of the American Self Help Clearinghouse is a huge database listing support groups for all kinds of problems. Many do not have websites, but the locations and phone numbers are provided.

Support Path.Com has listings of newsgroups online and other forums to find support on the web, for people dealing with a variety of life problems

The National Empowerment Center is for "people who have been labeled with a mental illness". It connects you to support groups and events around the U.S.

Recovery, Inc. has support groups for people with a variety of mental illnesses and problems. They operate under the idea that there are "no hopeless cases".
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Therapist Finders - a huge list of sites that you can use to find a therapist near you, from mental health databases to professional associations. Just about every way to find a therapist online is listed here. From Hope E. Morrow's Trauma Central site.

Cyber Crisis - Anonymous Information and Referral on the internet for survivors of sexual assault particularly, but may also be relevant to survivors of childhood abuse, particularly sexual abuse

Teen Advice Online is a site dealing with many issues that can cause difficulties in the lives of young women and young men. Teenagers can chat online here, and talk to trained counselors.

Teen Help.Org has support groups on a variety of issues including suicidality, depression, rape, abuse, and other topics, and live chats for teenagers to talk to other teens experiencing similar problems, and to talk to "peer mentors" for advice. They also offer support via email.

The Bright Side is a website designed in a cheery orange and white color scheme that does, actually look "bright". This site is to offer hope, inspiration, and encouragement to people dealing with mental health issues and various life difficulties. A rather unique concept in that the entire focus is on "the bright side" of things. This may be useful to some people.

Looking-Beyond is a site that provides support in message board forums and chat rooms, and in allowing people to tell their stories online, for people dealing with a variety of life difficulties and mental health issues, not just any one specific problem.

Articles and Research

Recovered Memories of Sexual Abuse: Scientific Research and Scholarly Resources is a very large collection of factual information on this subject (a rare find).

The Recovered Memory Project is a collection of legal cases and clinical cases corroborating the existence of recovered memories of abuse, from Brown University.

The Recovered Memories Resource Page has excellent information particularly related to so-called false memories, the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF), and who is behind that organization

Sibling Abuse a subject of which there is still far too little information available, is discussed in this article

13 Tips from Survivors Who Have Learned What Helps a short and clear-cut article found on the site of VOICES (Victims of Incest Can Emerge Survivors)

Articles Correlating Abuse and Immune Problems from Immune Web

"Prostitution, Violence Against Women, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" is a research paper about a study which found the majority of prostitutes interviewed had been victims of childhood sexual abuse.

"Working With Victims of Crimes with Disabilities" from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime. Find more such information and articles, related to disabled people who have been abused, on the disability resources page.

Deaf Survivors of Sexual Abuse: A Look at the Issues

Am I Gay Because of the Abuse? this investigates how homophobia influences the lives of lesbian and gay survivors of sexual abuse and affects how they feel about themselves as well as the societal myth that sexual abuse leads to people becoming homosexual

Clinical Considerations for Working with Gay and Lesbian Survivors addresses special concerns of lesbian and gay survivors of childhood abuse in therapy (written especially for therapists)

Sexual Abuse of Males: Prevalence and Possible Lasting Outcomes by Jim Hopper, PhD

False Memory Syndrome information on this effort to debunk the truth that people don't like to hear

Hope for Recovery from Sexual Abuse is an article encouraging endurance and reminding you to not give up by someone who has dealt with abuse herself

Setting and Reinforcing Personal Boundaries a good article from SMART - a ritual abuse newsletter

Preparing for Medical Treatment an article with tips for dealing with the anxiety and trouble handing medical procedures that many abuse survivors have

Preparing for Surgery suggestions for survivors to make surgical procedures less traumatic

Taking Care of Your Health an article for abuse survivors with advice on getting healthcare, mentioning why this is often difficult for adult survivors of childhood abuse

Medical Community Takes Notice of Survivors of Sexual Abuse an article about the ways some doctors and dentists and hospitals are recognizing special concerns of adult abuse survivors and why it is important sometimes to disclose an abuse history to medical professionals

Women Survivors of Abuse and the Health Community from a Canadian organization offering information on the special issues women who were abused as children have which need to be recognized by medical professionals

Self-Love Tips for how to learn to love yourself

Recognizing Your Inner Critic and learning how to accept yourself

Coping with the Holidays some tips on dealing with holiday times which are often very difficult times of the year for adults abused as children

Sex Issues for adult survivors of sexual abuse, related to why sex is difficult and how to deal with the problems survivors have with sexuality as adults

Taking Control of Finances addresses why many adults abused as children may have difficulty with things like handling personal finances, and offers tips on how to deal with this problem

Revictimization and some opinions and facts on how common this is among adult abuse survivors, and why it is so common

Activism Against Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation

SAVE - Survivors and Victims Empowered is a source of helfpul information created by the Child Abuse Prevention Network and LifeNet, Inc. which also have sites worth visiting. They work to prevent abuse and to help survivors of abuse

Stop It Now is an online organization formed to help end child abuse

Anti Child Porn a group working to end child pornography

The Rape Blog is an excellent and frequently updated collection of news on sexual assaults, creating awareness about the frequency of sexual violence in our society

Grrl Activistas is an online organization dedicated to addressing media portrayals of sexual assault and abuse. which has become a great site in a short period of time, with an ajoined site now, Girl Survivors, that has other information and resources

The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect is an important organization fighting to end child abuse worldwide; has newsletter online.

The Survivor's Voice is a resource for political action on behalf of the victims of child abuse, incest, and domestic violence. It is a large site showing many ways you can help prevent and fight to end all forms of abuse by taking action.

Survivor Connections - The True Memory Foundation is an activist center online, for survivors of rape, incest, and molestation.

EPCAT International investigates and combats child exploitation,.sex trafficking (ie, selling children and forced prostitution) of children, and other crimes against children including internet child pornography

Cyber Angels is an online organization staffed by volunteers who investigate crimes, stalking, and harassment on the internet. Cyber Angels' volunteers take reports of child pornography online, and investigate them, as well as reports of people attempting to exploit or otherwise harm children via the internet and communications online.

Tear In Her Hand - a web site with buttons for web sites to create awareness about child abuse and missing children

Children's Protection Campaign created by a survivor of abuse, for activism online

Internet Force Against Child Abuse another online project created by a survivor

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children - you can report child exploitation or child pornography on the internet here

Yes I Can: Working to End the Cycle of Child Abuse is an international child abuse network

Child Abuse Prevention Network in the U.S.

International Humanitarian Campaign Against the Abuse of Children

The Global Movement for Children

Child Line offers help to victims of child abuse with information on their website and a hotline people in the U.K. can call

Childwelfare.com Gateway to Resources on the Web for the welfare and protection of children

Child Welfare League of America

Child Help USA operates the national hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD which you can call to report suspected child abuse in the U.S.

Stop Sexual Abuse, Inc website with information and resources

The Quit Abuse Society has information related to ending all forms of abuse, including child abuse

Child Abuse Prevention Foundation of San Francisco, California

Abuse and Incest Legislation from the Child Abuse Legislation Resource Project

The Kempe Center is an organization that fights to end child abuse

End All Corporal Punishment of Children

Prevent Child Abuse Indiana

American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

National Center on Child Fatality Review

The National Children's Alliance

National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Research

National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the U.K.

National Indian Child Welfare Association for Native American children in the U.S.

National Resource Special Needs Adoption Center

The Children's Defense Fund

National Exchange Club Foundation for the prevention of child abuse

The World Childhood Foundation working to protect children internationally

UNICEF the United Nations' Children's Defense Fund

The Children's Bureau - a program of the U.S. federal government


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"Of course I am afraid, because the transformation of silence into language in action is an act of self-revelation, and that always seems fraught with danger. But my daughter, when I told her of our topic and my difficulty with it, said, 'Tell them about how you're never really a whole person if you remain silent, because there's always that one little piece inside you that wants to be spoken out, and if you keep ignoring it, it gets madder and madder and hotter and hotter, and if you don't speak it out, one day it will just up and punch you in the mouth from the inside'."
-Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider

Related Pages on this Site:

Violence Against Women - main page

Daisy Pages by and for Survivors of Abuse

Rape Resources including recovery help

Domestic Violence Resources

Disabled Women and Abuse information on sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse of women with disabilities is on the disability resources page

Ritualistic or Ritual Abuse

Mind Control and Human Experimentation

Female Genital Mutilation

For Your Inner Girl (inner child): simple comforts for adults abused as children

Why You Think It Was All Your Fault (on denial, guilt and blame)

The Testimony Pages: Stories from Survivors about specific aftereffects of childhood trauma

For Friends of Survivors of childhood trauma

My Shoes

To a Rapist

Body Image and Eating Disorders

Men Can End Rape - Fifty Ways for Men to Prevent Themselves from Being Rapists

Recommended Books

Poetry for Survivors:

Remember the Moon Survives, by Barbara Kingsolver

Poem About My Rights, by June Jordan

Power,  by Adrienne Rich

The Low Road, by Marge Piercy

For Mandy: a survivors' poem

Finding Voice

Books of Poetry by Women
If You Are In a Crisis and Need Help Now
Please Read This Section First

Survivors of incest, rape and other abuse often feel suicidal. People who are seriously suicidal right now, should seek professional help in person and not on the internet.  These pages can help get the help you need and give you someone to talk to now.
If You Are Thinking About Suicide: Read This First - it has helpful information, and
Why Live? For people who are depressed and suicidal

RAINN - The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network will connect you to the crisis center nearest you, usually a sexual assault center where you can talk to someone confidentially for free by calling 1-800-656-HOPE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the U.S.

1-800-SUICIDE in the U.S. is the Suicide Hopeline which will connect you to crisis centers in your area, 24 hours a day. They also have a listing of crisis centers online.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline in the U.S. is 1-800-799-SAFE; they will connect you to local help

Crisis Centers In Your Area listed by the American Association for Suicidology throughout the U.S. and Canada and in some other countries.
Crisis Lines to Call - local, national and international toll free lines from Suicidal.Com

Befrienders International is a gateway to 1,700 suicide and emotional helplines worldwide on the internet; web site is in English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Arabic, German, amd Portugese.
If you cannot make a phone call but can email Befrienders also has a service that offers emergency counseling via email for people who need someone to talk to now, in connection with The Samaratins
To talk to a volunteer Samaritan via email, write to jo@samaritans.org The Samaritans have branches worldwide

Young people can call the Covenant House Nine Line for confidential counseling, and referrals if they are suicidal, running away, or have any other problems they need to talk about, toll - free 1-800-999-9999 If you are a young person who has been abused, they have information to help
Find More Hotlines for Many Problems, from KidsHelp for young people to call about various issues. Kidshelp is in Canada.
Teen Advice Online is a place where teenagers can chat with counselors about many problems
Angels In the Night has information for kids who are being abused right now, to help you, and a chat room just for you

To Report Child Abuse in the U.S.call 1-800-4-A-CHILD, 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week

Childline is a hotline for abused children/young people in the United Kingdom

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his with her name still on it
Hey but I don't care
Cause sometimes
I said sometimes I hear my voice
I hear my voice
I hear my voice
And it's been
here
silent all these years
I've been
here
silent all these years
-from "Silent all These Years", Tori Amos

Update 2004: You can now buy books by women for survivors of trauma on many abuse-related issues in the Self-Help section of this site's new Women's Bookstore and help support this website.
The Daisy Pages Part Two:
dealing with the aftermath of trauma
Resources for survivors of childhood and adult trauma on many afteraffects; articles,
advice, research, and activism resources to stop child abuse
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