Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 3000

Tonight's special guest is Ashley Mallard from Canyon Country, California, a survivor of horrific child abuse in his youth. He says, "I raised my children without imposing abuse. Prevention is a key to stopping the wheel of abuse so many face." He ought to know. He's been through a lot. "My parents divorced when I was born. I was repeatedly sexually molested by my sister (10 yrs my senior) and beaten by my mother." His abuse included neglect, too. "I was hungry, scared and weary, all by five yrs old. My mother was a recovering drug addict who never recovered." This in itself had certain consequences. "Her way of parenting was benign. She offered no love at all, nor any friendship or understanding." His mother kept it up. "I was always alone, and beaten daily. I wasn't allowed to have an opinion or even a personality. I sat on the floor of the car and the dog got the seat .. and the bigger one!" Ashley says, "I was treated like a maid and used to do all the dirty work, like taking the tabs off vehicles in the Kmart parking lot to put on her car at 8 yrs old!" He continues, "I could go on for days." Eventually he pulled himself together .. for the sake of his kids. "I have three sons, all successful. I always taught my kids not to steal and lie. That helped. My mother (parents) failed me and I'm a success."