Resources for Targets

National Sexual Assault Hotline - 24/7 confidential help

Call: 800-656-4673

Chat online: online.rainn.org

Firsthand Accounts in Documentaries and Books

  • The Tale

    Documentary/filmmaker Jennifer Fox tells her autobiographical account of being groomed and abused by an instructor and coach at a horseback riding camp at the age of 13.

    Available on HBO Max and Prime Video.

    More Information

  • Keep This Between Us

    Cheryl Nichols re-examines a past relationship with her high school theater teacher. Over the course of a 4-episode miniseries, she exposes a culture of abuse in her former school district and highlights the journeys of two other women who had bee abused by teachers.

    Available on most streaming services.

    More Information

  • Invisible Target: Breaking the Cycle of Educator Sexual Abuse

    Invisible Target is a book by Andrea Clemens. It is a true, detailed account of her experience of educator sexual abuse at the hands of her middle school teacher. It follows her journey, beginning with her tumultuous childhood, meeting the teacher, and the grooming process he created to lure her into a false sense of trust and ultimate betrayal. After years of abuse and manipulation, she finally found the courage to bravely break away from her abuser.

  • What Haunts Us

    Of the 49 boys that Paige Goldberg Tolmach graduated with in the class of 1979, six have taken their own lives. In an attempt to investigate a possible cause for this unusual statistic, she discovers a male teacher had been sexually abusing students for a decade, unchecked and protected by the administration.

    Available on Prime Video.

  • Not Words But Deeds

    A prestigious Bay Area high school is under investigation for a sex abuse scandal. Former students reveal their stories of abuse for the first time.

    Available on YouTube

  • Innocence Shattered: The Devastating Legacy of Educator Sexual Misconduct

    This documentary was produced by the non-profit organization You have The Power... Know How To Use It! The production interviews two targets of educator sexual misconduct in their adulthood, a senator, and a school resource officer to discuss the problem of sexual abuse in schools.

    DVD Available for Purchase

    More Information

Books

  • Shifting the Burden of Truth

    In addition to pressing criminal charges, targets of educator sexual misconduct have the option to seek damages through civil court. Joseph Crnich and Kimberly Crnich have created a handbook that guides survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the legal steps necessary to hold their abusers accountable through civil actions. This includes information on finding an attorney, navigating the process of filing and going to trail, and giving realistic advice on preparing for the often long and frustrating journey.

  • The Sexual Healing Journey

    Considered a classic in its field, this comprehensive guide will help survivors of sexual abuse improve their relationships and discover the joys of sexual intimacy. Wendy Maltz takes survivors step-by-step through the recovery process using groundbreaking exercises and techniques. Based on the author's clinical work, interviews, and workshops, this guide is filled with first-person accounts of women and men at every stage of sexual healing.

  • My Dark Vanessa

    This is a fictional account of a 32-year-old woman navigating the realization that the relationship she had with her high school English teacher as a teenager was sexual abuse. The story is set at the height of the #MeToo movement, compellingly told through the use of flashbacks and memories. Author Kate Elizabeth Russel does an excellent job handling the complexity and intricacies surrounding consent, trauma, memory, and the psychology of abusive teachers and their targets.