American born author Louge’, courageously researched and wrote EXPOSED:  BATTERED WOMEN SHELTERS, writing about her experiences firsthand, as initially a woman in need of a shelter first dealing with her own situation; later, once emerging from her setbacks.  Louge' took it upon herself to expose the inadequacies and abuses which are embedded in the hierarchy of the management of woman’s shelters.  To this end, she had to circle back into the places of her past as well as traverse the country, this time under the guise of needing help, to take her notes and do her diligent research for her book.  As one reads her snippets of events, her interactions with other women and supervisors -- quite dangerous at times for her own personal safety I might add -- one gets a sense for what truly goes on behind the closed doors, alarmed for security, with these women and children seeking a sanctuary yet in many cases discovering just the opposite, a battlefield.

Louge’ writes a continuum of stories, each using only first names of women and children which have been changed to protect their privacy.  As these stories unfold, I found myself riveted to each because I could easily visualize the situation.  The characters are so clearly described in short sentences as Louge’ needn’t be politically correct nor flowery with her candidness of saying the truth of what the people said and what became of their actions.  All too often her chapters would end with the comment, “There was no report issued and no action taken,” indicating what goes on behind the closed doors of women and children shelters stay behind those closed doors.  The corruption of those in power is deeply rooted into the infrastructure of many shelters, with abuse prevalent in so many ways.  The most awful cases I read were having a child or children taken away from a mother who has done nothing wrong, other than being on the wrong side of the supervisor’s favor; having lies written into reports thus jeopardizing the health and well being of those needing to be protected.  Yes, absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Preying on the weak and distressed, embodying bigotry and racial discrimination, maliciously abusing children and causing mental scaring which may last a lifetime, all are exposed in page after page of sometimes very difficult reading due to the raw subject matter and Louge’s no-holds-barred mannerism.

Reading these stories, sometimes I felt like the character Alex DeLarge (played by Malcolm McDowell) in A Clockwork Orange when he volunteered for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society’s crime problems.  My eyes were figuratively opened by vises and glued to each page as my guts were wrenched with frustration and my mental tormenting over empathetic pain for the senseless violence, abuse and lack of society’s oversight in running such institutions.  If this sounds a bit over-the-top, well, see for yourself.  This book should have a warning on the cover stating “Severe mental anguish and emotional reactions may result – read at your own risk.”

Louge’ does an excellent job in what her title suggests as being an exposé for such abuses including violence, crime, attempted murder, prostitution, sexual abuse, aiding & abetting illegal aliens and unearthing the truth buried beneath the apathy of society turning its back on these women in need.  I believe this book can and should be used as an element in an appeal for reform and oversight of the charitable and faith based industry of sheltering those in need.  The examples set forth in EXPOSED are beyond imaginable in the level of abuse, for those women seeking shelter from abuse.  It’s out of the frying pan into the fire – preying on those in need and most irritating, innocent children caught up in the ecosystem of abusive situations.