| Children suffering abuse readily accept | | | | Conference on Families, and such leadership |
| greater abuse in adulthood. | | | | continues to this day. |
| | | | |
| That is the conclusion reached by abuse | | | | He is not only a veteran clinician in the |
| expert Heyward Bruce Ewart, III, Ph.D., | | | | mental-health field but also a distinguished |
| university professor with 20 years of | | | | teacher at the university level. Through Zoe |
| counseling and teaching experience. | | | | University, Jacksonville, Florida, his video |
| | | | lectures have been used by distance-learning |
| "Child abuse mangles the personality, and | | | | students across the United States and in some |
| sets up a false idea of self that attracts | | | | 41 foreign countries. |
| predators for a lifetime," he says. | | | | |
| | | | A much sought-after public speaker, Dr. Ewart |
| A maltreated little girl, for example, will | | | | is a commanding presenter who speaks with |
| later pick out a mate who is no better than | | | | great passion on the issues of abused women |
| what she thinks she deserves. That | | | | and children. He has hosted and appeared as a |
| relationship confirms what she has always | | | | guest on many TV and radio programs in major |
| thought: "There's something evil in me that | | | | markets, a love that dates back to his |
| caused me to be abused early and now. This is | | | | original career as a radio and TV news |
| all I deserve." | | | | announcer. |
| | | | |
| Ewart says if she leaves that first bad | | | | He is a published poet, and his hobbies also |
| relationship she will go to a worse one. And | | | | include photography, singing, drama, |
| that's why shelters don't work, he asserts. | | | | evangelism, and social activities of all |
| Shelters offer haven but no insight into how | | | | kinds. |
| one becomes a victim. | | | | |
| | | | His test for concealed child abuse is |
| His new book, THE LIES THAT BIND: THE | | | | uploadable from his website. The intent, he |
| PERMANENCE OF CHILD ABUSE, is the first to | | | | explains, is to overcome threats and other |
| establish a link between abuse as a child and | | | | fierce intimidation that typically prevent a |
| further abuse as an adult, most often in | | | | child from revealing the truth about what he |
| domestic violence. | | | | she has suffered. |
| | | | |
| The book is in polished manuscript form and | | | | Such is accomplished by basing the first half |
| awaiting publication. In the meantime, he | | | | of the test items on symptoms rather than |
| sells the book on his website for a nominal | | | | reputed fact recalled from memory. The child |
| fee, either printed and bound or immediate | | | | is thus able, for the first half, to answer |
| email upload. His site is devoted to helping | | | | without fear. The symptoms are derived from |
| victims and survivors of abuse and violence, | | | | the literature describing symptoms of abuse |
| including the pandemics of school and | | | | and emotional trauma, Ewart reports. |
| workplace violence. | | | | |
| | | | For a reason yet unknown, when children take |
| The author counts as major victims those | | | | the test, they tend to begin talking freely |
| falsely accused of child abuse--about 71 | | | | during the second half, when the questions |
| percent of the cases reported--and he | | | | are plain and obvious to the child. THIS TEST |
| consults these individuals in fighting what | | | | REQUIRES NO SCORING, BECAUSE THE CHILD WILL |
| he calls a "no-win system." | | | | TALK TO YOU, he insists. |
| | | | |
| Ewart also offers new tests for identifying | | | | A second intent is to provide a means for |
| predators, secret child abuse, dangerous | | | | interviewing the child directly, rather than |
| employees, and dangerous students. | | | | through a third party. This approach, when |
| | | | objective, tends to hold up in court |
| Dr. Ewart has devoted more than 24 years of | | | | proceedings rather than subjective measures |
| his professional life to the protection and | | | | that call for an opinion of the expert |
| treatment of women, children, and the family. | | | | witness. AGAIN, THE CHILD'S OWN WORDS ARE THE |
| During the President Jimmy Carter | | | | EVIDENCE, Ewart concludes. |
| Administration, he served the White House | | | | |