Post-abortion grief and sexual abuse counsellor Anne Lastman has this week promoted her latest book, entitled Hidden Pain: An Insight into Childhood Sexual Abuse at a launch in St Bernadette’s Church Hall, Glendalough.
The launch was introduced by Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey and chaired by Australian Family Association State President John Barich.
Hidden Pain deals with the shame, pain and sorrow of childhood sexual abuse and lifts the lid on a number of unspoken, taboo, subjects closely linked to sexual abuse.
The commonality of abuse within the family features in the book as one of the many unspoken, yet pressing issues of our times.
Topics such as trauma, responses to hidden pain, childhood abandonment, the link between early sexual abuse and abortion, pornography, loss of innocence, the social context of sexual abuse and forgiveness are covered in the book from the perspective of a qualified therapist with more than 18 years of experience in trauma counselling.
“This is a comprehensive book,” said Emeritus Archbishop Hickey, as he introduced the launch, “written for both professionals working in the field and for you and me, for those who are not counsellors but that come across people who have this hidden pain.”
The Emeritus Archbishop went on to say that more attention needs to be directed towards childhood sexual abuse and that this relevant, albeit awful, issue of abuse within the family, “not just within institutions, but also within the family,” needs to be looked at more closely.
Mrs Lastman was given a window of time in which to speak before a thought-provoking Q&A forum took place, facilitated by Mr Barich. During the forum, she spoke about the context within which her study began to grow, as well as the support and criticism she has received for pursuing her cause.
“This book was difficult to write, but it is important,” Mrs Lastman said.
“After 19 years of post-abortion grief counselling this topic kept resurfacing and upon further investigation, I found that histories of abuse were common.
“What I want to say with this book is “look out.” If a child is suffering, something is going on in their life. Maybe they’re afraid that if they talk, somebody will hurt them or someone close to them.”
Mrs Lastman emphasised that a child whose psycho-sexual development has been disturbed will seek to manifest a damaged cause or communicate that something traumatic has transpired through inordinate behaviour.
It is up to a parent, teacher or counsellor to identify that kind of behaviour and signal that something may not be right.
“For me this book gives a voice to those who suffer, and who are often too scared to have a voice. It is a book that teachers and professionals will find instructive.”
Mrs Lastman is also the author of Redeeming Grief (now in its second edition), which looks at her understanding of what abortion and its after-effects mean to the woman and her society.
She continues to study post-abortion grief and the related, sexual abuse grief, which manifest with similar symptoms.
In 1999 she founded Victims of Abortion Trauma Counselling and Information Services (VOA) in order to offer post abortive men and women a safe place and sacred space where it would be possible for them to be able to speak about their abortion experience and their sadness/feelings following this procedure.
Her website can be visited at www.victimsofabortion.com.au.