Official Review: Deep Dark Secret by Dr.Orlando Short

[MarieMc]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Deep Dark Secret" by Dr.Orlando Short.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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This is a booklet about sexual abuse. I would caution the potential reader if they are sensitive to these issues to use care in reading this material. I believe information of this nature is desperately needed. If this had been available to me as a child, my life might have been a little different. However, with that said, it is unlikely that a child will ever have the opportunity to read this material simply because they would not know where to look.

I believe the author intended for this booklet to extend hope to the hopeless as well as being a teaching guide. I found I wasn't sure if this was meant to be a study guide, a help guide, or information. Perhaps it was meant to be all three. As I read through the individual stories, I was reminded that trauma is trauma. One victim may experience sexual touching and nothing else yet they may be just as traumatized as one that had multiple abusive sexual intercourse experiences. I was interested to find that the author included stories of both churched and non churched individuals. I also note that all seem to have turned to God as a high power of hope and healing. In advising the study group to educate parents about talking to the children, there needs to be more. Often it is the parents or family member and the child cannot tell them. In that case, children need to be encouraged to tell a teacher or school counselor.

This booklet took me less than an hour to read, which can be a very good thing. I was a bit put off by grammar and punctuation issues. There are instances of justice being served on the perpetrators of the abuses, while this is important for the victim to have closure, it does not always happen. I was a bit confused as to why the “Police Briefs” were included in this booklet. There are perpetrators that went to jail, great, now how is that going to help me, the victim, now? I felt the briefs were slightly misplaced in a booklet that teaches groups about child sexual abuse, what to expect and perhaps how to help the victim.

I love the title. The cover art is also, in my opinion, very well done. I would like the booklet to perhaps be less preachy and written with more help guidelines for those who encounter victims of sexual abuse. In the preface it is suggested that the book be used to teach from. From a teaching standpoint it lacks information and tools for the 'class' to actually be a help to victims of abuse in the healing process. It would seem that just telling the victim that God is the answer is not always enough. It seems to be more of a general awareness guide. Awareness of sexual abuse does need to increase. While I am not an expert it seems there also needs to be clear steps for the victim to begin the process of healing one layer at a time. I was encouraged that the booklet did not imply that healing happens overnight, that it is a process that can take many years.

Over all, this booklet is needed and I very much liked that it is being written. I do think that a little more time needs to be dedicated to the booklet to polish it up a bit, fix grammar and punctuation issues and also clear up the actual purpose of the booklet as well as more definitive guidelines in helping a victim begin the healing process. This booklet seems to feel a bit incomplete. I wish that I could give a half star point and I would rate this two and half stars for flow issues, grammar and punctuation, but since I can't I will round up my points. Over all I would rate this booklet 3 out of 4 stars.

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Deep Dark Secret
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