Freedom's Flowers: The Effects of Domestic Abuse on Children, Paperback

Freedoms Flowers is a book about the effects of domestic abuse on children. It is composed of firsthand accounts from these children and their mothers. Some of the children write as adults from memory and some are male. The youngest contributor is eight years old. Their stories describe not only the abuse from the perpetrators but the dreadful collusion from the so called professionals who should have been protecting the victims instead of worsening the effects of the abuse. This book should be read by every teacher, social worker, solicitor, judge and member of the medical profession who comes in to contact with any aspect of domestic abuse. It should be read by every woman who is staying with an abuser for the sake of the children. Every woman whose children wet the bed, throw tantrums and attack other children should read this. Every woman whose children have been taken into care should also read this. The book also sends a strong message about hope. The contributors describe how their lives were saved when they attended the Freedom Programme. They did not need therapy or threats to save their children from abuse. They only needed information to enable them to make informed decisions. Knowledge is power

Pat Craven is a qualified social worker and probation officer. In 1999 she created the Freedom Programme for survivors of domestic abuse to women. In 2008 she published 'Living with the Dominator' a book about male violence to women. In 2011 she wrote the companion book, 'The Freedom Programme Home Study Course' for women who could not access the Freedom Programme. The book 'Freedom's Flowers' was inspired by the session of the Freedom Programme which focuses on the effects of domestic abuse on children.