The purpose of Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Encyclopedia of Prevention, Impacts, and Recovery is to provide a single, comprehensive resource that covers all aspects of sexual violence and abuse that is useful to students, the general public, and social workers. Postmus has not only fulfilled this purpose, but has accomplished far more. This resource stands out among the various texts on sexual abuse and violence. Postmus’s work is comprehensive, authoritative, and unique. The 264 entries encompass a variety of topics related to sexual violence and abuse, from descriptions of perpetrators and therapeutic interventions to how technology alters both the solicitation of sexual abuse and violence, as well as the recovery process.

Additionally, the encyclopedia covers the impact sexual violence and abuse have on various issues such as the economy, legislation, health of the victim and perpetrator, and society as a whole. Postmus strives to address the effect sexual abuse and violence have on many individuals, including members of different ethnic and religious groups. She examines not only the traditional heterosexual male and female groups, but also those who identify with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. This encyclopedia is straightforward and to the point: there are no images, charts, graphs, or similar features. Entries are organized alphabetically, though there is a “Topical List of Entries,” which aids in the use of this resource. A list of recommended resources, detailed information regarding the editor and contributors, and an index at the end of volume 2 is available. The encyclopedia is also available as an e-book.

The entries, which vary in length from a few paragraphs to several pages, include “see also” references, lists of further readings, and selected websites when available. Entries are written at a level for general readers but authoritative and detailed enough to support clinical, evidence-based practice. One of the greatest strengths of the encyclopedia is the expertise of the editor and authors, which ranges from professionals in the field of sexual violence and abuse to doctoral students and researchers. Also, in-text citations are included in a number of entries, lending credibility and authority to the work.

An additional strength of Postmus’s encyclopedia is that it is unique to the literature. Resources such as Judith Worell’s Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender (Academic, 2001) only touches on sexual abuse and violence as where Postmus’s encyclopedia is entirely devoted to the subject. An area that could benefit from improvement is how the overviews are handled. Various entries in the encyclopedia provide an in-depth overview of various topics, such as “History (Overview)” and “Theories (Overview).” These overviews can be identified by browsing through the entire “Topical List of Entries” to see which topic has “Overview” in parentheses next to the topic name. It would be far more helpful for the overviews to have their own heading in the “Topical List of Entries.” Also, including the index at the end of both volume 1 and 2 would be helpful.

Despite these minor drawbacks, Postmus’s text is an ideal reference work for students, faculty, researchers, and professionals who work in the field of sexual abuse and violence. It is also of value to the general consumer who wants to learn more about this topic. This encyclopedia is strongly recommended for any university library that supports social work or other programs that address sexual abuse and violence.