I was unable to access the internet for about a week because we had an issue with our connection. I was not able to work also. Good thing is I was able to read a few books. This is one of the books I read, which is a review request from an author. This is my first to read of this author. This book is probably the most difficult to read, if not, one of the most difficult ever. Difficult because of the subject that it tackles and its harsh realities. I had to rest after reading a few chapters and read a lighter story to decompress. In a way, it has gotten to me and I felt like I was drained of all energy. The truth was just too much for me to swallow.
Like its title, the author, through the effort of this book, takes on a very daunting and intimidating endeavor. Knowing that the author is a military personnel who pretty much has to deal with crimes and other criminalities, I'm pretty sure, he's such a wealth of information on the subject that is being raised by this story. This is about pedophiles and the different atrocities and cruelties inflicted on children. I, for one love children. I see their innocence and vulnerability. I have three nephews and one niece and it's my first instinct to protect them from anything that might harm them. If I were a parent, I'd take on the world to shield them. With that said, to read this book, takes a lot of courage and strength. It was not easy. I was filled with loathing and I wanted to hurt those people who prey on children and their weakness. It grieves my heart to accept the truth that these monsters could be anyone. More so, those who are in positions of influence and take advantage of that power. So, if it takes a lot of strength for a reader to read this, it takes much gumption, strength of character, and guts to be able to write this very gruesome tale. It's both a lesson and a cautionary tale. It opens one's eyes to what's right in front of our faces, not just in Canada but all over the world.
This is probably one or the only story where I was rooting for the other character, other than the main one. I was rooting for the vigilante. Yes, her method is not exactly the legal or the most moral one but it gets the job done. It paved the way for the change in laws regarding the punishment for sex offenders and pedophiles. It also mobilized a lot of people to go out to the streets and make the government act. It's also very inspiring to have people who dedicate their lives to the protection of the rights of all children. The police officers, specifically those who work at the Child Exploitation Center or more like the Women's Desk or Children's Welfare here in the Philippines. Those right advocates who unceasingly and tirelessly work to fight for the rights of children and women all over the world. The emergency or first responders, the doctors, the crime scene investigators, the police officers who work in IT and frequent those online hangouts of these offenders, just so they could prevent another child from being abused or rescue the next victims and return them safely to their family. Those law officers who almost never sleep just so these types of evil will never walk free or see daylight again because there is no rest for the wicked. These are modern day heroes who deserve as much recognition. The fight will never be over.
While reading this, I felt like my heart was stabbed to shreds. It was so harrowing. It was too much to even just read. How much more if an innocent six-year old was actually going through those unimaginable atrocities? Can you ever imagine? What person gets off of that? Definitely a monster, right? Someone who doesn't deserve to live. It breaks my heart to even think of it but it's the brutal reality. There are just monsters who walk this world who don't have a single drop of conscience or remorse. I hope they burn in hell.
I give this book 5/5 wolverines. In this book, a wolverine is described as a truly evil animal that challenges the lynx (a symbolism for those who have been abused), the wolf (which stands for those who fight to live and run free), and the trapper. Most trappers will put away their traps for the season if a wolverine ever crosses their line. That is how vicious a wolverine is, that even an armed trapper is afraid to cross it's path. The wolverine stands for those people who are not afraid to exploit and destroy the future of young children. And I hope that people all over the world will continue the fight. We need to be as vicious and as mean as the wolverine. We need to impose the most severe punishment for those sexual offenders. The damage they cause doesn't only affect the victim. It's a domino effect. It bleeds and taints the family of the victim, the people whose jobs call for having to deal with the victims and these offenders. All the people who have to work in solving these crimes, enforcing the law, emergency responders, everyone. It affects all these people and no one is ever the same after they witness these type of evil. The lasting effect of the crime should be taken into account also when the sentence is given. It should consider the lives that have been affected and destroyed, the cost of rehabilitation of the victims who may survive the ordeal but not necessarily survive the shame and the pain that never goes away as long as they live. It's a stigma that is everlasting. I have so much respect for the author for having the courage to write this book. This is an eye-opener and I encourage everyone to pick up and read this. This is going to be painful but it contains a lot of truth and it helps empower us women, mothers, and all of us who try so hard and those who dedicate their lives to protect the rights of all the children in the world.
A lifetime of pain and shame that never diminishes.
Women have fewer rights than men.
If someone who was supposed to help others could abuse children and get away with it, hidden by the very church he represented, then what good was the church? What good was the law?
- Dave Wickenden, In Defense of Innocence -
No comments:
Post a Comment