Effects of Child Abuse On-Self : Famous Cases

A. (Dave Pelzer, A Child Called "It", Published September 1st 1995.)

C. This book talks about one of the most severe child abuse cases in California. It's the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that could leave him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she had no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son