Abuse in its many sinister forms has taken root in our society. Most, if not all, of us have experienced or witnessed various types of abuse. Physical, emotional and sexual abuse have become distressingly common in our families, our classrooms and in the workplace.Amrita Maat's compelling life story chronicles her journey through a lifetime of abuse, exploitation and sexual predation and her sometimes disastrous attempts to find a niche in what she calls "normal" society.It's not surprising that Amrita suffered from impaired self-esteem, that she had difficulty entering into meaningful relationships and that she constantly questioned her professional, personal and parenting abilities.Amrita's story speaks to our common experience. Her emergence from her own personal hell and her formulation of a spiritual mechanism to forgive her abusers and herself is an inspiration to us all.