Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1398

Tonight's special guest is Douglas (Doug) Cooper from Walden, New York, a Cornell, Penn State and Harvard educated professional (now retired) who is the author or co-author of more than 100 technical articles published in refereed journals and numerous other fiction and non fiction books. He recently wrote "Ting and I: A Memoir of Love, Courage, and Devotion" and co-authored "Kidnapped Twice," a memoir of a woman recovering from abuse (both available at amazon.com). He's here to talk about a number of things, but specifically will address his offering on "The Cinderella Effect: Child Abuse in Step-parenting Versus Adoption." As Doug says, "A step-daughter or step-son is much more likely to suffer child abuse or even murder - sometimes as much as a hundred times more likely - than is a child who is the offspring of the two parents. This shocking pattern holds pretty much around the world and can best be explained by the tendency of parents to further the well-being of those related to them genetically, in line with the premises of sociobiology and evolution." He writes his treatise based partly on his personal life experience but points out there is even a web site (www.adopteerage.blogspot.com) "written for the 38% of abused and neglected adopted children." Doug says, "I know first-hand what it is like to be a step-child and what it is like to be a step-parent. A step-child is often treated less well than the other children in the family." He concludes, "A measure of the level of civilization of a society is its treatment of those least able to defend themselves, their children." Doug's coaching, writing, and editing site is www.WriteYourBookWithMe.com.