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03/01/2006
Can The Child
Abuse Cycle Be Broken?
HOUSTON, Texas, Mar. 1 -- Nationally recognized child abuse expert, Jan Coates, speaks out for the more than 50 million women in the U.S., one in three, who were sexually, emotionally, and/or physically abused as children. Coates is living proof that the child abuse cycle can be broken. As a young woman, she experienced child abuse herself, along with divorce, cancer, and the tragic death of her only child by a drunk driver. “Child abuse is the silent, shame-filled secret that is coming out of the closet,” says Jan Coates, author, speaker, and consultant. “In the U.S. alone, more than $24 billion is spent annually to remedy the short- and long-term damage of child abuse.” Over the last 10 years, the U.S. has witnessed a 63 percent increase in reported child abuse cases. The hidden consequences and long-term outcomes of child maltreatment include increased risk for: Emotional and mental health disorders - Brain dysfunction, disease, disability, depression, mental illness Cognitive and educational disorders - Language deficits, attention deficit disorders Social and behavioral disorders - Adolescent pregnancy, anorexia, bulimia, substance abuse, incarceration Jan Coates has broken free of the abuse chains that bound her for years, and she is sharing what she’s learned with those who are still shackled. In her quest for wholeness, Coates has learned: How to face the truth How to release the past How to become free from the shame and guilt inflicted by others How to be transformed and healed from the inside out For more than 40 years, Coates lived with anger, low self-esteem, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and depression as she repressed the pain and reality of her childhood abuse. Like most victims, she disassociated from the original cause of her anger and helplessness and heaped destructive acts on herself and others. Eventually, she sought help and is now free from this self-destructive behavior. Coates is a professional speaker, author and consultant and has appeared on national television and radio programs. Her latest book, Set Free (Bethany House Publishers) offers hope and practical healing steps for abuse survivors as well as insight for counselors, social workers, pastors and family members to help break the cycle of abuse. Additional information about Coates, her book and child abuse statistics can be found at www.jancoates.com.
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