I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse

In this comprehensive self-help guide, Lori Robinson has created a valuable resource for African-American survivors of sexual assault (as well as their families, friends, and communities). Robinson walks readers through the ways survivors can achieve emotional, physical, sexual, and spiritual healing, reflecting her firsthand insight into the particular difficulties African-Americans face on their journey toward recovery. Examining the issue of sexual assault in African-American communities, she discusses why African-American women are more likely than white women to experience sexual crimes-an insightful discussion framed in the context of the American slave system and modern institutionalized racism.

Through interviews with prominent African-American lawyers and judges, Robinson offers accessible explanations of police and legal systems, advising readers on ways to navigate them effectively. Doctors and counselors weigh in on the importance of getting good physical care, using self-care techniques to heal, and finding the best therapist. I Will Survive also includes chapters on educating children and adults in Black communities to help prevent sexual assault; prayers and affirmations from Black spiritual leaders in a variety of religious traditions; an extensive resources section; and encouraging first-person accounts from Black women (and men) who have healed from sexual assault and abuse.