book review - A Child Called 'It'

A sort of autobiography by David Pelzer was a heartbreaking account of his childhood abuse and how he was forced to live day to day. It was like a train wreck - you don't want to see it, but you can't help but looking. That is exactly how this book is. You feel like you are there watching these terrible incidents happen, feeling helpless and hurting for this young child. Fear not though, as the book has a sort of happy ending for young Dave. This book was based on his story, the TRUE story, of his child abuse. It was the 3rd worse case ever recorded in the state of California. What makes that fact so heartbreaking is that there were 2 cases even worse than his. There are two other books to follow this: 'The Lost Boy' and 'A Man Named Dave'.

Most children are too afraid to tell anyone about the abuse. Every 13 seconds, a child is abused in the United States.  There are nearly 3 million child abuse reports made every year. Approximately 4 children die per day from child abuse. 3 out of 4 of those children are under the age of 4. It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates. About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse. Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime. Children who have been sexually abused are 3.8 times more likely develop drug addictions. Children who have been sexually abused are 2.5 times more likely to abuse alcohol. Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.

Those statistics are terrifying. Stop the cycle. If you know a child who is being abused, please report it. You may just save that child's life. Go to http://www.reportchildabusenow.com/ to find report numbers for each state. We control our children's future. They learn what they live. Make a call, Save a life.

Love, Me