Little
Madhouse on the Prairie
A True-Life Story of Overcoming Abuse and Healing the Spirit
Written
by Marion Witte, child-rights advocate
Child Advocate Shares Insight and Inspiration in Effort to End the
Worldwide Epidemic of Childhood Abuse
Child
advocacy groups estimate at least 500,000,000 children worldwide are
subjected to abuse each year. Such mistreatment occurs in every country
in the world, including the United States. The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services reports that annually nearly 800,000 children in this
country are confirmed victims of abuse and neglect. The life-long
psychological damage to children with these experiences is immeasurable.
Marion Witte, child-rights advocate and author of 'Little Madhouse on
the Prairie: A True-Life Story of Overcoming Abuse and Healing the
Spirit', has personal knowledge of that damage. She was abused as a
child in North Dakota – one of the many unreported cases of persistent
child abuse that take place in our country every year.
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In her moving, incisive memoir, Witte illuminates the issues of abuse, neglect and abandonment by disclosing their role in her family. By revealing the secrets her family buried for generations, she opens the reader’s eyes to the devastating, long-term damage caused by childhood mistreatment. She also shares her personal journey of recovery and offers it to those who want to heal from their own childhood wounds, but who may not yet understand how to do so. “It is not the truth that will hurt you – it is the lies.” Witte writes. “This book tells the story of a child who was not loved, nurtured, protected and supported.” Her book makes clear that this can happen to any child within the walls of a family home, regardless of the face that the parents or family members present to the outside world. By detailing her own experiences and their influence on her adult behavior, she illustrates how childhood abuse impacts adult self-image, relationships, job performance – every area of adult life. She makes the case that we will be better parents if we understand our past and heal our wounds, especially if we have been abused as children. Through the process of learning to heal ourselves, we become active participants in the effort to create a better world for our children and future generations. |
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Witte’s
objective in telling her story is to focus more attention on children’s
rights and to promote a greater understanding that without healing,
child abuse does not end in childhood. It affects the person who
suffered abuse for the rest of his or her life. Little Madhouse
is not only a compelling story of abuse and healing, it is also an
impassioned plea to create a safe and just world for the youngest
citizens on our planet.
Big Blend Radio - Marion Witte was a featured guest on Ultimate Living radio on June 28, 2010. To listen to Marion's interview, please click here. To listen to the entire show, please click here.
Marion Witte is the founder and director of The Angel Heart Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the advocacy for children’s rights. Additional information about 'Little Madhouse on the Prairie' can be found at www.littlemadhouseontheprairie.com .
