Description

---

People with intellectual disabilities are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse, and offering them psychological support at the earliest possible moment greatly increases their ability to cope with the event and return to daily life. This book provides a complete, structured, evidence-based programme for providing this help to survivors of sexual abuse with developmental disabilities, both adults and children.

Step-by-step session plans, as well as comprehensive background information and downloadable worksheets, provide the means by which to offer effective help to clients and recover their feelings of safety and trust. Sessions are also included for helping parents and caregivers to cope with their own reactions and emotions on the discovery of the abuse. Each session is adaptable for the needs of people with severe, moderate and mild intellectual disabilities in order to provide exceptional care to every individual who needs it.

About the Author

---

Aafke Scharloo MSc. is a clinical psychologist and remedial educationalist who has pioneered international approaches to helping people with intellectual disabilities recover from sexual abuse. Aafke is a consultant on special cases throughout the Netherlands and lectures internationally on issues concerning people with an intellectual disability, sexual abuse, maltreatment and trauma.Simone Ebbers MSc. is a healthcare psychologist, child psychologist, EMDR-practitioner and sexologist. She runs a private practice assessing and treating trauma and sexual abuse, and specialises in working with people with intellectual disabilities. Martine Spijker MSc. is a healthcare psychologist, EMDR-practitioner and psychotraumatherapist. She co-founded a treatment centre for helping children and young adults with mild intellectual disabilities and trauma. Martine also runs a private practice specialising in treating trauma and sexual abuse in children, teenagers and young adults.