Charred Souls

Book excerpt: This is a personal accounting of a young girl's childhood as she and her six siblings grew up with parents who used child abuse as a source of entertainment. In her book, Trena Cole describes the methods of intimidation and isolcation used to prevent the childen from seekigng help. It also describes how, since their extended family practiced the same type of abusive behavior, the children assumed the whole world lived this way. While these parents may have been reported as potential child abusers, they were never charged or prosecuted despite the sadistic torture they inflicted on their young children. Trena became the parental role model, nurturer and caretaker for the younger children from a very young age, never having anyone to nurture or care for her, and learned to dissociate to survive the chaos. The language is raw, ugly and harsh, just as it was screamed at the children until they were able to escape the madness. This inspirational book may be emotionally difficult to read but contains vital information for those in the helping professions: therapy, education, medicine or law.