Additional information
by Diane Jones (Author)
Her name is Diane Jones. Today her presence is calm and warm. I knew her as a quiet, terrified child struggling to grow up, nay, even to stay alive in a large violent matriarchal family. There was no father figure, only a sequence of men. Diane was thirteen years old when I first met her. Through a program in the California Department of Social Services, I had been assigned to be Big Sister to a younger sister of Diane. This younger sister was also badly abused both in maternal violence and in sexual abuse, as was Diane, but to a much lesser degree. I thought of Diane's mother as a raging bull with massive mood swings from manipulative and charming to a cruel, mean and evil woman. I myself was afraid of her. If I had known what was really going on during the years I worked with the family, I would not have had the power to do anything about it. My only hope and motivation at that time was to give them a view of what life was like from a different perspective and thus help them be kinder to their children. I am always appalled by the fact that Social Services felt it was best to keep children connected to their families no matter how monstrous the evil in the home. Twenty-six years later, we are all wiser.
Author Biography
DIANE JONES was born in California in the 50's. Her education was spotty partly because the family moved about, partly due to the effects of abuse and neglect, and largely due to absence from school due to the physical and mental wounds attendant upon her segregation as family whipping girl. Her innate goodness, intelligence, and strong faith in God finally brought to her to her present state of personal success and hope for a bright future.
