Battered Women : Living With the Enemy (Women Then--Women Now) ($24) by Anna Kosof

Kosof interviews a number of individuals in shelters for battered women, but her book is much more than a collection of anecdotes. Without being condescending or scornful, Kosof attempts to answer the fundamental question "Why don't they just leave?" and spends a lot of time discussing the development of abusive relationships, which often begin in an atmosphere of romance. She includes much commentary on how batterers are viewed, but whether she's giving the viewpoint of taxi drivers, friends, children of victims, or the police, she makes it clear that there's a complicated reality behind the simplistic myth. The book will be an effective discussion starter for teenage girls.

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In Love and in Danger: A Teen's Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships ($8.76) by Barrie Levy

In Love & in Danger is a guide designed to help teens help themselves. The book opens with the personal narratives of three young women. While the details of their stories are distinct, all three describe with devastating accuracy how unhealthy, addictive love differs from nurturing, positive relationships. Later chapters provide profiles of dating abusers, help readers identify whether their relationships are abusive, and offer suggestions for coping and making a difference. The quasi workbook format is helpful for young people embroiled in abusive relationships--whether they are abused and looking for escape or abusers looking for a means to change.

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Abused: A Guide to Recovery for Adult Survivors of Emotional/Physical Child Abuse ($11.96) by Dee Anna Parrish MSSW

A simple-to-follow, 8-step program using the author's celebrated "Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" techniques. Provides readers with a practical method for ending virtually all forms of verbal abuse at home, work, school and even in the streets. Contains a wealth of tips and basic practical advice that can be used immediately. Numerous exercises and activities enable readers to test and practice techniques on their own.

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Breaking Free from Partner Abuse : Voices of Battered Women Caught in the Cycle of Domestic Violence ($7.16) by Mary Marecek

This book is for all women experiencing violence in a relationship, whether at the hands of a same-sex or heterosexual partner. Using poetry, prose, illustrations, and the words of abused women, it provides affirmation and direction for women struggling with partner abuse. It covers such issues as battered person's rights, how to leave an abuser, understanding physical violence, lesbian battering, and women's shelters. This book addresses many of the reasons why women stay in violent relationships.

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Other books on sexual abuse and verbal abuse

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