Lovingly Abused: A true story of overcoming cults, gaslighting, and legal educational neglect - Paperback

by Heather Grace Heath (Author), Lorna Oppedisano (Editor)

In this highly relevant memoir, blending raw honesty and humor, Heather Heath's story begins with her mother's search for escape from childhood trauma, becoming perfect prey for a cult. It follows Heather's coming of age journey while enduring gaslighting, educational neglect, suicide attempts, purity culture, realizing she was in a cult once she was physically trapped, the painful choice to be shunned for becoming a paramedic, marriage, divorce, spiritual deconstruction, trusting again, reluctantly homeschooling through a pandemic, and finally discovering her own faith. Giving each reader insight into a hidden world using pop-culture comparisons, you'll feel as if you were having a real-life conversation with her.

This book's mission is to raise public awareness of hidden children all over America who are legally educationally neglected under the guise of religion. Seeing one such family on TV is a cult's convenient distraction from the thousands of women and children who are invisible.

Heather has committed to distribute fifteen percent of the book's sales profits to The Coalition for Responsible Home Education, The Vashti Initiative, and The Amish Heritage Foundation; non-profits supporting a child's right to an education and providing guidance to those leaving the abusive practices hidden behind religion, with little to no resources for independence. As similar non-profits emerge and funds allow, more of her profits will be allocated to them.