Book Review: Please Let Me Go by Caitlin Spencer with Linda Watson-Brown

Book Name: Please Let Me Go

Authors: Please Let Me Go by Caitlin Spencer with Linda Watson-Brown

Publisher: Amaryllis

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Blurb: From the age of 14, Caitlin was completely controlled, repeatedly raped, provided with alcohol, given drugs, sold and passed on to new gangs over and over again. The majority of her abusers were Pakistani men, who were blatant in their attacks upon her, often collecting her from school or home, to be taken to flats they owned, family homes, or hotels booked for the day, to be horrifically and systematically abused.
At a time when the abuse ring realities of young white women in Rotherham and other major English cities are coming to light, Caitlin’s story will appeal readers – not just because of the degree of horrific attacks which were perpetrated upon her, but also because of the ways in which the authorities refused to act. Caitlin speaks openly about what she has suffered and also shows just how unwilling many people are to face up to what is happening in our midst, for fear of being called racist. By bravely speaking out, she will, hopefully prove just how deep these problems are and just how the abusers get away with it in plain sight of the authorities.

Review: This was a very difficult book to read and is not for the faint-hearted. The book has graphic descriptions of rape and sexual acts but it’s an important story that should be told. One can only imagine how difficult it must be for the author to recount this story when it’s so damn difficult to review such works or even read them!

The book is about the author; its non-fiction mind you so whatever you read within these pages, actually happened.The author, under the nom-de-plume Caitlin is naive and who can blame her at her age? she signs up for what she thinks is a modeling assignment but instead, she gets caught up in a web of deceit and lies, its difficult for her to get out and the sad part is that through it all, she does not receive much help.

The man who promises to help her turns out to be an agent who supplies girls and she gets passed on from one customer to another who use her to satisfy their desires.

This book gets a bit repetitive and the bulk is devoted to the series of sexual assaults. Not trying to belittle the authors here and one has to empathize with such a story but it sure gets repetitive. Its a pity for there is so much material here and perhaps a bit detailed view of what happened in the aftermath and before could have helped the readers understand a bit more.

It has been written in a hurried fashion and one cannot help feeling why the structure and writing is so ordinary when the book has been written in association with (what we presume is) an experienced writer.

The prevailing societal system in western countries where parents do not hold the hands of their children and the kids are expected to move out as soon as they are on their feet does not help. There should have been more help from the authorities who casually dismiss their claims when a complaint is filed saying she was a known prostitute and the mother’s reaction saying she won’t stand it anymore until finally, she decides to call the police. All of this is not explained fully in the book and the reader is just left guessing and hanging in the end.

Its a bit surprising that it went on for so long and the lack of a support network that could have helped a child escape all this is infuriating. Sexual assault is the worst crime that can be perpetrated as it leaves the victim scarred for life but its some conslation to read that the author did not give up and is fighting.

The organized cartels who engage in trafficking of women have been documented in detail but what is difficult to fathom is how many of them continue to escape punishment. This blaming the girl culture needs to stop and perhaps this is why this book is so important- maybe it will help and offer courage to other girls who can come out in the open and share their stories too.

If you cannot handle reading about sexual assault, skip this book.

 

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