Books about rape, survivor stories

[Napdamnyou]

Just gave some books to charity including some books about surviving rape.it prompted me to have a bit of a think about what theY meant -I remember when I was attacked I went through a long period of wanting to read other people's stories, I guess to reassure myself that I would get better in time and life would go on. It seemed an important stage for me to go through.

Over the years I continued to look out for books which I thought would be helpful. So I thought maybe a thread which has recommended reads for survivors could be helpful.

Lucky - Alice Seabold. Memoir
It could have been you - Helena Kennedy and Merlyn Nuttall. Memoir
Out of the Tunnel - Rachel North. Memoir
Telling, a memoir of rape and recovery - Patricia Weaver Fransisco. Memoir

Trauma and Recovery - Judith Herman. Classic textbook
Awaking the Tiger: Healing Trauma - Peter Levine. Quite good on body memory and therapy.

Does anyone have other recommendations?

Thank you for posting this, I've ordered a couple for myself. I've also downloaded Real Rape, Real Pain: Help for Women Sexually Assaulted by Male Partners - Patricia Easteal and Louise McOrmond-Plummer. Just reading the introduction and the first chapter has helped.

'I Never Called it Rape' by Robin Warshaw.

American and possibly a bit dated in some ways, but I think the subject matter is very important. It's basically about date rape/acquaintance rape and how victims have trouble acknowledging and naming their experience for what it is, and the problematic attitudes they face from others because they know or are in some way involved with their rapists.

When I was attacked there wasn't the massive market for misery memoirs and shocking real life stories that there is now, there wasn't much at all, less still much that was well written and non sensational. Finding books that are well written and helpful is still not that easy. Also finding books that are not mushy self help but not too clinical. Thank you for the further recommends.

If you search for Women's Studies or Feminist writing you'll probably find more useful stuff than misery memoirs. I have a good independent bookshop near me that has a lot of books you wouldn't find in Waterstones etc. Searching online using the above criteria will put you on the right track.