Jenny has moved into a new home in the community, but she is very unhappy and unsettled. Things come to a head when her carer finds a photo of her Dad.

Sensitively, the carer helps Jenny to feel secure enough to talk about why she is upset. Jenny discloses that she was sexually abused by her father. The story shows how the warmth and trust of her carer and friends begin a healing process which will bring hope and a fresh start for Jenny. Jenny Speaks Out may enable a person with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems to open up about their experience of sexual abuse.

The second half of the book consists of supporting written text. There is background information on sexual abuse, including the necessity of gaining medical evidence if it is reported as a crime. Advice is given to dispel commonly held beliefs, such as “It happened to me because I’m bad” and “I can’t have sex again because I’m dirty”. There is also a suggested storyline and recommended helpful organisations and further written resources.

Jenny Speaks Out is one of the Books Beyond Words series of books that tell stories in pictures to help people with intellectual disabilities (sometimes called learning disabilities) and communication difficulties to explore and understand their own experiences.