SuitabookSexual assault and abuse
Ann Byers
- Reading
- Preview the contents if possible, then read alongside an available trusted adult. Pause after sections on abuse or prevention, check understanding, and discuss which advice feels clear, unclear or difficult to apply.
- Themes
- Victim responsibility and blame: The guide addresses sexual abuse and explicitly states that the victim is never to blame. The book clearly rejects assigning blame to victims, presenting this as a central message rather than leaving the issue unresolved.
- Prevention and responding to harm: The book aims to explain forms of sexual abuse, prevention practices and what to do if it happens to the reader or someone they know. Its stated purpose is practical and informational, focused on awareness and possible responses rather than a fictional narrative.
- Conflicting messages around identity and relationships: The guide links young women’s confusion about dating, sexuality and image with questions about whether they have experienced sexual abuse. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Prepare for frank discussion of sexual assault, abuse, sexuality, dating and victimisation. The subject may feel emotionally difficult; read at a pace that allows questions and pauses rather than treating it as light general information.