I am sad

My sister is a one woman book publisher.

Every once in a while she gives me a book to read and give an evaluation. I am not an english major (she was), but I can tell if the story makes sense, whether it is too wordy and if everything goes the right direction.

Usually I can do that in an hour or two of reading and writing.

She is working on a book now on sexual abuse of children, and asked me to review the manuscript

The author, a clinical psychologist, has the perspective that there are books about girl victims but not much about their male counter parts, so this book is mainly about the boy victims.

First of all the numbers are staggering. I have lived a sheltered life. I just was aware that this kind of thing even happened -- so carefully is the secret hidden from view. Somewhere around a fifth of our girls have been molested in some ways, the experts say, and maybe half that many boys.

I raised 4 beautiful daughters and have an equal number of granddaughters. I would never allow a thought into my head about them sexually. Most people are equal in their devotion to their daughters and sons.

But there are those exceptions. Fathers, uncles, grandfathers, cousins, even mothers and aunts.

I am glad I was naive enough to not suspect that kind of thing, but now that my mind has been opened a bit, I grieve for all of those wonderful girls and women, boys and men who were so wounded by this evil.

The author, of course, says that all should seek a good counselor. And he is right I am sure. But with the numbers we are given, there are not enough good counselors to deal effectively with the problem, not enough money to buy the time of these good people, to help the walking wounded.

So I suggested that the book be made more useful for those who are not able, for one reason or another, to see that wonderful counselor / psychologist that he speaks of.

It is a huge challenge.

And as I read the stories, my heart breaks.