“Rampant sexual abuse of children has long been a problem in Afghanistan, particularly among armed commanders who dominate much of the rural landscape and can bully the population. The practice is called bacha bazi, literally “boy play,” and American soldiers and Marines have been instructed not to intervene — in some cases, not even when…
“When we build a bridge of communication between our children and us they know they have our support. They know they can run to us and share the good, the difficult, and the scary things they will encounter in this life. Because we have cultivated a relationship with them that they can count on.” As…
“The problem with the “you were molested and that’s why you’re gay” line of thinking – besides that it isn’t true – is that it dismisses people and their experiences. It neatly wraps up a version of people, labels them, and puts them in a category. There they can be filed away and forgotten. Otherwise,…
I was offered the chance to review this book a long, long time ago. I kept picking it up and putting it back down, then picking it back up again a couple of moths later, and putting it down again. Part of that is just my busy lifestyle, with the work and the traveling. Part…
“Do you think that sexual abuse couldn’t possibly happen in your family? Do you think that only the children of neglectful parents are abused? Do you think your children are too sensible to place themselves in a position where they could be abused? If so, I have an uncomfortable truth for you: 20 per cent…
“Shame caused by sexual abuse does not pass that easily. Upon that original shame we build years of additional shame, locking it into that closet in our minds, until the burden becomes unbearable. Trying to live a healthy life while you are buried in shame is impossible. That shame is the infection that needs to…
