Stepping Outside Comfort Zone.

One in Four - is run for and by people who have experienced sexual abuse, and provides a helpline and counselling service for men and women who have experienced sexual abuse, and their families: www.oneinfour.org.uk

Domestic Violence Intervention Project - aims to increase the safety of women and children who experience domestic violence by providing services challenging men and supporting women: www.dvip.org

The Survivors Trust - is a national umbrella agency for over 125 specialist voluntary sector agencies providing a range of counselling, therapeutic and support services working with women, men and children who are victims/survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse: www.thesurvivorstrust.org

Rape Crisis Federation - Rape Crisis groups exist across the UK and Ireland to provide services for women and girls and will also provide information of support agencies for men: www.rapecrisis.org.uk

Mankind UK - provides support services to men who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and/or adult sexual assault at any time in their lives: www.mankinduk.co.uk

I am an Adult Survivor of Child Sexual Abuse, which initially caused me much embarrassment and discomfort. It has and still does affect me in many overt and insidious ways during my daily life. Even these days, after many years in recovery, being an adult survivor of child sexual abuse, still flavours my conduct within platonic and sexual relationships with others, as well as my own personal relationship with myself.

Over the years, I have sought various and differing forms of recovery regarding this issue. I personally found the book 'The Courage to Heal,' a guide for women survivors of child sexual abuse, by Ellen Bass & Laura Davis, informative and helpful. I accept that, for me, recovery has been an ongoing process of identifying 'blindspots,' and rising to the challenges.

One such recent challenge, has been to re-consider my relationship with sex. This opportunity was bought about by visiting to the 'Devotion Boutique' shop in Balham. As I browsed the shop, I found many things to feast my eyes with. But just as I was considering the idea, of purchasing the book 'A Path With Heart,' the classic guide through the perils and promises of spiritual life, by Jack Kornfield, two additional books caught my eye. 'The Survivor's Guide to Sex' how to have an empowered sex life after childhood sexual abuse, by Staci Haines and 'Healing Sex' a mind-body approach to healing sexual trauma, also by Staci Haines. After briefly reflecting on my, at least, six years of sexual abstinence -partly as a result of my inability and unwillingness be able to love another woman, due to an ongoing four year adoration of one woman in particular, and to a certain degree, because of 'Stella's' effect on my body - my interest was aroused and I purchased all three books.