Breaking the Cycle of Silence

Book excerpt: The latest statistics tell us that one out of three girls and one out of six boys will be sexually abused before the age of eighteen, destroying their lives in ways we can't even imagine. We also know that 90 percent of the time, victims know their abuser. Daniel Pearse is living proof of both these statistics. He and his brother were sent to live with a pedophile after their mother died. For nine years, Daniel suffered sexual, physical, emotional, mental, and verbal abuse at the hands of his tormentor. Like many abused children, Daniel then suffered in silence for decades as an adult. Now, he's committed to stopping the cycle of abuse that causes so much pain.  Breaking the Cycle of Silence proposes age-appropriate sexual abuse training and education in schools. It teaches children what is appropriate, shows adults the signs of abuse to look for, and offers sources of support for victims. With such training and education, we can identify and stop abusers, preventing them from claiming victim after victim for years.