Abused Kids Become Lifetime Victims

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