ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter I began the process of detailing how feminism and post-structuralism can be used to provide a critical framework for thinking through matters concerning women and child sexual abuse. My aim is to draw attention to the impact that different forms of understandings have on the ways we represent and work with abused women and girls. In this chapter I begin by exploring dominant mental health approaches that act as reference points for those that work in mainstream services. These dominant approaches act as either theoretical and practice formulae to follow or, as with this book, injunctions to critically contest and challenge. Whatever our particular relationship with mainstream mental health approaches, there is seemingly some emerging common ground.
