Incest

‘Way back in 1968 for a Psychology Class I decided to write a paper on teen age prostitutes thinking that I would find a reason for this social trend, this question-able choice of lifestyle. Why would young girls go to those dark, hostile streets and rent their body, mind and soul, to anyone?

Living on the street is a dangerous, haphazard life. One minute a girl has a “home” the next day she’s sleeping in doorways again. Do these girls, these “children”, not understand the danger they’re in?

In my naiveté I assumed there was a solution to the teen prostitution problem - I had a solution - so simple. Why didn’t anyone think of this before!

Gather up the girls, explain the danger, disgrace and futility of life on the streets. Of course they would understand, then return home to Mom and Dad and safety.

But, I didn’t know the real reason, lurking in the darkness, for their flight from home. After many years working with teen inmates, now I know their story. My heart aches for their loss of youth and innocence - not their choice of life.

Today, my enthusiasm for hope, for change, is buried in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. I do fear evil, - the evil is pervasive and insidious. But, it’s not the men who rent girls’ bodies, the evil is much closer to home - incest!

My initiation as a 4 years old girl: I looked up at the men surrounding the toilet, they were dead silent. Their eyes were focused on me in an unspoken agreement among themselves as to what I should learn. With my father tight holding my hand as they all urinated, I watched their stinking yellow liquid bubble and foam in the brown stained bowl.

I learned…what evil is. I learned…men are evil. But, I am fully aware, as I grit my teeth, men are not totally to blame. There’s Mommy’s implicit permission.

So, to protect myself, I killed myself. I died when I was 4 years old.

This book explains why incest will never be stopped or taken seriously - never.

Unless…