Outcry Response

Outcry Response is a book about sexual abuse for educators and administrators of all private and public learning institutions, organizations, and nontraditional settings. How to listen, respond, report, and recognize the often-disturbing signs of sexual abuse are noted for the purpose of building confidence as a mandated reporter. Survivors need responses of compassion, support, empathy, and recognition for their courage since the sexual assault was not their fault. Many survivors, past offenders, educators, and related agency personnel have assisted in describing the aftermath of sexual abuse and how educators can help. Compassion fatigue and exhaustion can lead a listener to inadvertently react with shock, shaming, repulsion, or silence. The solution is self-care with definitions and options provided in Outcry Response Trauma informed research and practices have made mandatory reporting, open communication, and safer campuses much more manageable. This wonderful book provides a variety of examples of trauma informed responses within educationally based scenarios of sexual abuse. The Department of Education websites for all fifty states and community programs enumerated within Outcry Response provide our educators and administrators with numerous resources about sexual abuse to use in their primary role of compassionately educating students of all ages.

Congratulations to Kathleen Davis for encapsulating this valuable resource for teachers, administrators and anyone who might confront the "Outcry Response" to sexual abuse. Her conversational style engages the reader to explore a myriad of situations that might be encountered. She uses simple language and a trauma focused approach to facilitate the reader's understanding of both survivors and offenders. With numerous examples she openly describes scenarios that might be experienced during the disclosure process. Additionally, she further encourages situation specific systemic change to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. This book is an excellent resource for any teacher's bookshelf! I wish it had been available when I was a young teacher, and early in my career as a therapist!--Gayle A. McAdoo, MA, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Professional Counselor, Chemical Dependency Counselor, Kathleen Davis has written a powerful, practical manual for educators in the recognition, prevention, and treatment of sexual abuse. She adroitly identifies sexual abuse as its own pandemic and provides clinical references to bolster her position. As a licensed medical professional with first-hand experience of her own abuse, Ms. Davis integrates the needs of both abuse victims and the professionals who care for them in her work. Backed by empirical data and evidence-based techniques, Ms. Davis' work accomplishes three landmark objectives: She empowers her readers to turn the tide on the potentially lethal and often legally ignored violence of sexually abusive conduct. She humanizes the devastating effects of silence and ignorance on the victims. And she provides educators and professional helpers with the tools to heal the secondary damage of sexual abuse, otherwise known as compassion fatigue. This is the leading edge of a new movement in education, psychology, and holistic trauma-focused treatment.--Marcia-Elizabeth Thompson, DACM, LAC, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Kathleen Davis has been a nurse, counselor, educator, speaker, volunteer, and survivor. She applies a broad base of experience, understanding, and best practices related to sexual abuse prevention and reporting. With fifty years of experience, she promotes an atmosphere of learning related to the sensitive subject of sexual abuse.