(no paper is attached to this workshop)

With so many obstacles for victims of childhood sexual abuse to overcome, our society still has a long way to go to understand the devastating and lifelong damage this violation causes and the psychological complexities inherent in survival. The survivor is the only authentic expert in this experience and their voices are the most valuable in the adversarial processes inherent in self regulation and in civil lawsuits. This paper emphasized how imperative it is for these survivors to report their abusers to the proper authorities and to testify in these processes. When survivors break through the taboo, the shame, the stigma, and defy the rules of secrecy that kept the abuser in power, our society can learn. With so many authorities claiming expertise in sexual abuse survivor issues, it is the survivor alone who's own experience gives them the truly authentic expert voice in these processes. And when their voices are heard, our self regulatory agencies and the courts can learn and our society has an opportunity to grow more understanding and more compassionate.