Local Orange County Brother & Sister Write Book To Give A Voice to Sexual Abuse Survivors

Claire Heath and Larry Sault, founders of Divine Choices, share their story in their new book, "The Lie That Binds: Overcoming the Tragic Effects of Child Abuse." While growing up on a small Ojibwa Indian Reservation in Ontario, Canada with sixteen brothers and sisters, every member of the Sault family was brutally violated in a different, terrifying way at the hands of their father.

Tustin, Calif. (PRWEB) November 3, 2008 -- Look around you - more than likely a co-worker, family member or friend was sexually abused as a child. For, according to the Center for Disease Control's ACE Study -Prevalence - Adverse Childhood Experiences, one of every four females and one out of six males are sexually abused by age 18.

Claire Heath and Larry Sault, local Orange County residents, are the faces behind these statistics. In their newly released book, "The Lie That Binds: Overcoming the Tragic Effects of Child Abuse," they share their story of abuse at the hands of their father while growing up on a small Ojibwa Indian Reservation in Ontario, Canada. Each and every member of the Sault family of sixteen brothers and sisters was brutally violated in a different, terrifying way.

"We wrote this book to give a voice to the millions of people who have had their innocence stolen from them -- an estimated 39 million survivors of sexual abuse exist in America today," say authors Claire Heath and Larry Sault. "We are living proof that the truth will set you free, and that it is never too late to find forgiveness and strength to get better."

Besides authoring the book, Heath and Sault are the founders of Divine Choices (www.divinechoices.org), a nonprofit located in Tustin that helps transform the lives of sexual abuse survivors through its educational programs, workshops and conferences.

"People who are abused in childhood often have difficulty establishing healthy relationships that can lead to productive lives. Unfortunately, many become abusers themselves or turn to alcohol or drugs," says Heath and Sault. The authors speak from their own experiences for they have both overcome alcohol addiction.

Divine Choices' 16-week program, which is currently held at a variety of locations throughout Orange County, provides sexual abuse survivors insight, healing, trust and great self-confidence. Says Michele (last name withheld to protect her privacy) who went through the program and is now a volunteer for Divine Choices, "The program helped me find my voice, not allow others to take advantage of me anymore, and set realistic boundaries with others."

Divine Choices is also currently seeking funding for a new program, "The Stewards of Children," dedicated to reducing the prevalence of systemic childhood sexual abuse in communities where registered sex offenders and youth serving businesses are highest. Government statistics show that registered sex offenders repeat sex crimes at a rate exceeding 5.3% in less than 3 years after release from prison.

To order a copy of the new book, "The Lie That Binds," or find out more about Divine Choices, go to www.divinechoices.org or call 949-940-8991.

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