According to the National Bureau of Statistics, one out of four girls will have experienced sexual abuse by the time she is 16 and 48 percent of all rapes involve a victim under the age of 18. Yet there is tremendous denial about the scope and cultural impact of this epidemic of violence against young girls and women. Dr. Patti Feuereisen has been working with teenage girls for 25 years and has been a pioneer in helping abused girls find their voices. What she discovered in listening to hundreds of girls was not only that sexual abuse of young girls is in fact epidemic but that if the abuse can be processed when girls are still young-in their teens and early twenties-remarkable healing can take place. Girls and young women who are given an opportunity to speak out will most often go on to thrive as adults; without such an opportunity the traumatic effects of their abuse will often continue to cause them difficulty long into adulthood. Invisible Girls weaves together powerful first-person narratives with gentle guidance and seasoned insights-giving every young woman who struggles with the scars of sexual abuse the courage to come out from behind the veil of secrecy and become vibrant, healthy, and whole.

Reviewed by hoopsielv for TeensReadToo.com

One out of four American girls will experience some sort of sexual abuse by age sixteen. It's a sad but true fact in our society. This book is for the girls who have been there and those who care about them. Dr. Patti answers questions from young women honestly and compassionately.

The main chapters in this book cover abuse by family members, boyfriends, acquaintances, strangers, and other adults. This novel also discusses the emotions stemming from sexual abuse along with coping and healing methods. There are many different paths to healing, including therapy and family support. The message is clear throughout: you aren't alone and it's not your fault.

INVISIBLE GIRLS was difficult to read at times due to the subject matter, but it made me aware of support systems and resources that are available to women who have faced this horrible trauma. Many young women shared their painful stories and there is an epilogue about how they found their strength to be visible and continue living.

I highly recommend this book! ( )

Informative and helpful for girls who may have been sexually abused. ( )