The Girl Next Door
By Ravenladyj
@Ravenladyj (22902)
United States
March 14, 2008 10:28am CST
I just finished watching this movie and OMG....though the pace was somewhat slow for lack of a better way to put it..it was quite disturbing simply for the fact that its based on a true story (which I am trying to locate right now) of child abuse back in the late 1950s of a young girl and her sister at the hands of their Aunt and cousin...there is also a book by Jack Ketchum tat I intend to buy....
Has anyone else seen this movie or have you read the book?
3 responses
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
14 Mar 08
Sorry that's way too depressing for me. The other day out of 56 books on display at our local supermarket, 11 were about child abuse. Who buys this stuff. Don't we have enough misery already. Sorry, didn't mean to get at you, just noticed that you're about to buy the book. It is a serious issue, no doubt abut that. But I do feel that the media have jumped on the bandwagon with this one and are stirring it up a bit. We've become a society now that is showing increasing reluctance to become involved in child related activities. I belong to a fishing club. Until a year or two ago we had a very successful junior education programme where youngsters came along to see if they would enjoy the hobby. The course ran for about a day, and lots of parents came along too. The people that ran it were mostly older men. The "system" decided to check all these people out. This would have involved the men giving statements, becoming familiar with the UK's Children Act and being able to understand which bits applied to them as "teachers". Understandably most of these men didn't want all the hassle - we don't have a junior education programme now.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
14 Mar 08
"just noticed that you're about to buy the book"
Yea I am...coming from an abusive background myself I am VERY intrigued by True Crime stories like this and have an ever growing collection of books right next to all my Abnormal Psych and Criminology textbooks....FOR ME learning, reading etc as much as possible has been part of my healing over the yrs oddly enough...
"We've become a society now that is showing increasing reluctance to become involved in child related activities"
I sort of disagree with that..when I was a kid you DID NOT talk about it at all (much like in this movie), it was hush hush and you didnt think these sorts of things could or would happen next door to you..Nowdays I think ppl are moreinclined to get involved than 20-30 yrs ago which is a good thing
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
14 Mar 08
The actual case can be found here
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/young/likens/1.html
and it happened in the 60s (the real case) not the 50s..whats wild to me is IN SPITE OF this happening and other cases I'm sure coming to light after this one did, it was only 10 yrs later when my abuse started and sadly ppl still wouldnt get involved..shocking how ppl can be these days but even more shocking how they were back then ya know..
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
14 Mar 08
My own aunt was abused as a child. Her foster parent used to throw buckets of cold water over her to make her learn to behave. If you knew my aunt, you could not have imagined anyone more "well behaved". I don't have an issue with abuse coming out, and it must be treated properly and responsibly. I don't like to see if billed as entertainment, and to me that is what a lot of these books are. They are not always written at first hand and they give them sensational names. But we have to put this in perspective. Children are abused and the perpetrators need dealing with and the children need help. But the vast majority are not abused, are loved and I get a little mad that we are all assumed to be abusers until proven not guilty. To make it even worse, I have heard tales of children in school reporting male teachers for inappropriate behaviour because they have been told off. Even when vindicated, the teacher sometimes ends up unemployed and unemployable.
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
15 Mar 08
I never hear of the book or the movie. Sounds a bit interesting for a watch while I am alone. Thanks I will check it out.
@littleowl (7157)
•
14 Mar 08
hi raven-hopeyou are feeling better now-no i haven't heard of that movie and didnt know there is a book-will look in the local bookstore and see if it is there blessed be Littleowl
