I am an survivor of child abuse, and I would like to know if there are any others who have gone through the same or similar experience. I remember once when I was in the third grade in school, and I brought home a spelling test with a big red "A" on it to show to my mother. She said, "Do you think this makes you better than the rest of us?" She punched me in the head so hard that my head hit the wall and I was knocked off balance onto the floor. She then kicked me in the face, screaming at me to move my hands away from my face so that she could continue kicking me in the face. She refused to allow me to take baths, wear clean clothes, own anything, have friends, speak aloud, or play. I often passed out from starvation and when I regained consciousness, she would beat me again for being bad by passing out. My mother told other s that I was mentally retarded. The abuse continued for 17 years, but still haunts me today at the age of 41. I have no friends and cannot keep a job. I have not found any local support groups, and doctors simply dismiss what I say. Where do I go from here?

Beaumont