Guilty at Birth

Philip's letter arrives two months later, "As I said before, you are fortunate to be with my family who cares about you. Whether you like it or not, that's where you will have to rot."

Ambra decides to send one last letter to Philip explaining again the uncomfortable situation she has to put up with and adds that it seems to be getting harder to pay attention to her teacher. Philip's uncaring response arrives a couple of weeks later.

Ambra shows up in the classroom with a sad face and her mind elsewhere.

Clelia immediately asks, "What have they done to you now?"

"A fat envelope arrived from Argentina yesterday," Ambra tells her.

"Well, what was in it?"

"My father mailed my letter back to Albert and Gismonda. They laughed at it all evening last night and this morning again." Clelia loses her patience and exclaims, "I think your father is a piece of s***."

This book shows the need for a law that mandates mental testing because, for this author, life experience has proven that this type of scrutiny is the most intelligent means to prevent child abuse.

Noama Malva Roman uses her personal story and in particular, the figure of her father, Philip, to illustrate the importance of a healthy mind when an individual is in the position of decision maker, whether at a household level or a government level. In this book, the author stresses the serious role that poverty plays in the crime of child abuse while she underscores the essential fair distribution of wealth in our worldwide society.

In addition, Roman includes material for classroom discussion to invite teachers and other instructors to bring these issues into the classroom, in both high schools and universities.