"Am I Guilty?" ....an autobiography by Barbra Liberté,
ISBN 0-931563-18-6
Complete text of book review by Conni Hall-Olson:
"In America 1 out of 4 girls are incested before age 18 and 1 out of 7 boys are incested before age 18. In a home where there is chemical dependency 1 out of 2 girls and 1 out of 4 boys are incested before age 18. This is a passionate book about a grubby subject that nobody likes, childhood sexual abuse and incest. This is an enormative experience, by numbers alone; yet society ignores the implications of a society populated with the walking wounded. All perpetrators were once victims--but not all victims become perpetrators. Barbra was an innocent child and was not guilty. Because she wasn't believed she went through life with a 'V' imprinted on her forehead--'V' for victim. She needed therapy, legal support and police protection. This book clearly illustrates the multigenerational patterns of incest, victim-offender bonding, and blaming the victim mentality. Only with books like this will society be educated. After awareness in the professions, and only with awareness will we be ready to explore the potential of human development freed from fundamental betrayal and abandonment. It is not grandiose to suggest that such a shift in caring might strengthen women, sensitize men and actually eliminate substantial amount of heartbreak, alienation, mental disorders, and mayhem. What could our world be like without the longterm devastations of child abuse??? " ------------ Conni Hall-Olson, RN LCSW-C, Founder and President of COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS GROUP, Ocean City, Maryland
