The following words, written by
Director, Pascal Laugier and spoken by Jessica Biel in the movie "The Tall Man," illustrate a very important point:

"The system is broken, it doesn't work. There's nowhere to turn. There's no support. I've seen it all over the world, its just easier to give up.

I'm not any better than you...I've just seen more. Its not a matter of being a good person or being a bad person, its about how you cope. We're so limited, but the eyes of
every child are filled with potential and hope. And we should embrace and nourish that potential, but we don't. And we continue to make the same mistakes. We continue to let the children grow up broken and lost, just like their parents. We have to break the cycle—it has to be a priority but its not.

That what I do—that's what I've done everywhere and what did I change? Nothing. Yes, I cared, I helped, I cuddled, thinking I was bringing change, thinking I was making a
difference. But when we ask for real change...all the bureaucrats said—'No you can't do that, there's a process.' Every time we question the politicians and the system that makes poor people poorer and the children suffer they said 'No you can't do that, there's a process.' So, the cycle goes on, and goes on, and goes on and the children continue to suffer and no one does anything about it. And the world
will never change."   

Throughout our lives we hear two things over and over. The first is: "The world is not that bad..." and the other is—"Numbers...don't lie." Well, here are some of those numbers:

Every 2 minutes, in this country, someone is sexually assaulted and 1 out of 3 children is bullied-EVERY DAY! Most of the victims live by a code of silence.  1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted by the age of
18 and 800,000 children in this country, disappear every year. Sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes, with 54% still being left unreported. If they are not reported...who is helping the victims? Nearly 90,000 women reported they were raped in the United States last year alone; and 1 in every 4 women that you know has been
or will be the victim of a partial or fully completed sexual assault at some point in their lives.

Awareness is the key to prevention. But there is precious little material out there that is specifically aimed at children, teens, and young adults to help them find a voice BEFORE they spend a lifetime suffering. The goal is not to shock or
frighten with graphic descriptions of abuse, but instead to address the side effects of all kinds of abuse—the goal is to empower and inspire courage in the hearts of children, teens and young adults, who are the prime targets of abusers, to speak up immediately and get the help they need as soon as possible and begin the healing process
early in life.

The question is how do we educate children so that they are aware of the danger that exists without filling them with fear? How do we get commitment from how communities
to ensure that our children will know what to do in the event that someone crosses the line and does something innapropriate. Author, Gil Keough, from Phoenixville, PA, a survivor of childhood physical and emotional abuse, has produced an innovative and dynamic story designed to help children, teens and young adults to cope with and conquer the effects of abuse in all it's forms. Unlike most "self-help" books on the subject that are written for adults, Haven's Brave deals with these sensitive issues in a tactful but forthright manner. It  shows how we can end the vicious cycle of rape, abuse, and bullying for generations to come by using a fictional story based on real people and events to instruct younger readers.

Told in the form of a “Fairy-tale” The Tale of Haven's Brave explores real world situations in the safety of a fictional setting to show how we can end the vicious cycle of rape and abuse, and bullying for generations to come. By
using a fictional story based on real people and events known by, and including, the author himself, adults and children are educated through story-telling, and metaphors on preventing abuse before it begins or dealing with it if has already happened.

It is the author's hope that the novel will raise awareness in both children and adults whether they are victims / survivors of abuse or not. Those struggling with trauma, low self esteem, and depression that is a by-product of dealing with what has been done to them by real life “monsters” will find this heart-warming and empowering tale to be full of lessons and principles they can apply in the real world.

The question remains...is the world really not that bad? or do the numbers...not lie?

Visit www.havensbrave.com to learn more about the book and read sample chapters or download the .pdf