Pin Down by Teresa Cooper. Reviews

thoroughly recommend it

Some of you out there may find it strange that a man should wish to read such a title but for my own reasons i felt compelled to read this book.Once i started to read it i just coldn’t put it down,i found it hard to believe that this sort of thing went on in the country where i lived, many of the passages throughout this book caused tears to stream down my face.The sort of inhumane abuse that this innocent girl & others like her suffered at the hands of those entrusted with there care were of the most disgusting & depraved i have ever heard of,i can only a liken it to the same evil as that of Joseph Mengele in Germany during the second World War.However,having read on through the book im glad that Teresa found the strength to ’ choose life’ & do the best she could for herself & her children. I hope that one day she receives some justice for what happened to her ! This has to be the most compelling book i have ever read, i would thoroughly recomend it ot anyone. Its a ‘must read’!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
I was in shock after reading this book., 31 Mar 2008
By Leeds lass "The Banker" (England)

I mean it-i was literally in shock-that in the 1980`s children were abused
so shockingly while `in care.` I hope this dr. peri-whoever the hell this
sicko is- has been brought to justice-and his cronies with him. Usually
when we read these books, there is the abuser, and we are praying that
someone in authority will intervene and help.In this case, we have just
about everyone in authority okaying the abuse and telling teresa basically
to just get over it ! I am so angry that not even one of these people had
the common decency to say `just a minute..hang on…look at the state of
her..let`s get help..` All i can say is i am so ashamed to live in a
society that condones such treatment of children, and i am worried sick
for all kids in care after reading this - even now. Certain people - and
they know who they are - should be in prison ! Teresa i don`t know how you
got through it, but the important thing is - you did - and now we all know
about it. I am about to visit your website - and by the way - i loved your
poem - it made me cry. You are such a talented, beautiful, and brave young
lady. I will never forget you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
What an excellent book, 31 Mar 2008
By Mrs. D. A. Williams (Hereford UK)

This book was an excellent read. It was heartbreaking and very well
written. Teresa Cooper is a brave lady to have written it and i wish her
well in trying to bring justice to such cruel people.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Amazing Courage , 9 Feb 2008
By Mrs. Tracy A. Smith (england)

This was a amazing story of courage and couldnt stop reading it. It
brought tears to my eyes and unbelieveable that these staff got away with
this kind of abuse and ill treatment. I even felt that i was being drugged
while i was reading it. There is no justice in this world if these so
called carers and doctors get away with this and even the authorities. A
truly brillant book and Teresa Cooper is a very strong lady who is able to
help others in similar situations. A definate must read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
At last the truth will out!, 30 Oct 2007
By Miranda Morland ""bruised UK"" (Kent, England)

Teresa Cooper has gone through Hell and back, yet managed to have a lovely
family and as normal a life as possible, total proof that those bruised by
life do not turn into monsters themselves. As the powers-that-be, and
media would have us wrongly believe.
This Book is un-put-downable, my heart ached, and I cried most of the way
through as I read the pages, I felt useless, and ashamed that girls and
boy’s up and down this country have and still are experiencing the
atrocities that befell Teresa.
We must do something, we are living in the 21st Century, for God’s sake,
and yet we walk around oblivious to what is under our nose’s.
All the Children’s homes and Foster homes in this country should be
subjected to rigorous examination, especially where drugs are used
regularly. How many other girl’s and boy’s were put through this sort of
regime, and have not managed to survive it?
Teresa you are an inspiration, and I hope your courage helps others to
speak up and be counted.
This book should be advertised everywhere, to help give a voice to those
who cannot speak out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Change the Statute of Limitations for people like Teresa, 15 Oct 2007
By J. Kisseih (Croydon, United Kingdom)

This book will shock you - it is unbelievable to think that the cruelty
and abuse Teresa suffered at Kendall House took place in the early 1980s -
as what she describes sounds like something from the Victorian era. Dr
Peri was obviously a quack who needs to be brought to justice as do the
rest of the so-called "carers" in that establishment not to mention
Wandsworth Social Services. Teresa has proof that the medication FORCED
upon her was far and above what should be prescribed to a young girl. I
can only advise Teresa to take out a civil case against these
organisations and you will most definitely win (and, as far as I am aware,
the Statute of Limitations does not apply to civil proceedings).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
superb!!, 16 Sep 2007
By J. WALKER (YORKSHIRE)

Fantastic - best autobiography I have read all year.

Well done to Teresa Cooper for bringing this story to the public eye.
Teresa suffered horrific instututional abuse and it made me cry to think
of Teresa being so alone in her young life. I hope this book will put some
ghosts to rest for Teresa.

Teresa shares some beautiful photos of herself and her lovely family which
must give hope to other survivors.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Pin Down. Author, 2 Sep 2007
By T. L. Cooper (England)

Kendall House was run by the Church of England and used by many social
services with up to 2000 girls being sent there. Kendall House was first
exposed in 1980 before I went there for it’s chemical regime which
horrified many but sadly after it’s exposure in 1980, what went on behind
those closed doors became what can only be described as a closely guarded
secret until now.

Kendall House, Gravesend, Kent was a place you would expect to find in a
savage cold war but this was no cold war, this was a children’s home for
vunerable girls in care of local authorities. A place where you would
expect care and compassion but that didn’t happen. We can not begin to
understand why those in a position of authority chose to ignore what was
going on behind those closed doors and exposing it for the first time
since the public outcry in 1980 is a step forward and ensure this never
happens again. Sadly it still happens today and we have two choices,
ignore it or do something about it.

Say no2abuse and give children the voice they currently don’t have.

My book is backed up by overwhelming files and evidence and may we learn
from these experiences and of others.

I dedicate my book to all those who have suffered the devistating affects
of child abuse.

Kendall House is not related to the Staffordshire case

The worst prison would be a closed heart

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Cycles of Deprivation, 30 Aug 2007
By M Woods

Separated from her parents as a baby, and put into the care of Wandsworth
Council, Theresa Cooper’s fate was sealed. Lack of professional child care
stratagy, poor decision making, a string of inappropriate placements, each
one subjecting her to multiple and mostly unqualified, untrained carers,
ensured that she underwent the worst form of emotional and physical abuse
a developing child can experience. If the child care services of
Wandsworth provided Theresa with a damaged and neglected childhood, no
doubt the very essence of deprivation they wished to protect her from when
putting her into care, they excelled themselves when she became an
adolescent. The horror of Kendal House, an adolescent unit for girls, with
its (generally) unsupervised group of staff, overseen by a shady Dr
Frankenstein, syringe in hand, compounded all the abuse that went before,
except now it was with powerful psychotropic drugs and a regime of "Pin
Down". And so the cycles of deprivation spiral down, deep into the body
and mind, deep into the very substance of the soul. Reading Theresa’s
disturbing book, I came away with a sense of wonder at how she survived.
I’m still wondering, reflecting on the terror of her ordeal, and can only
conclude that her remarkable book, no, Testament, should be made
obligatory reading for everyone setting out on a career working with
children.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
powerful stuff , 30 Aug 2007
By M. Thomas (nottingham)

i’m still in shock after reading this book. i can’t believe that we can
call ourselves a democratic country yet still allow things of this nature
to go on under our very noses!! Teresa is a real inspiration to us all - i
know people who have been through comparatively little in their lives and
use their experiences as excuses to waste away their lives. Teresa’s
fighting spirit has enabled her to produce a well written book that should
be read by anyone and everyone, especially those who think that this
country is without it’s faults.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Highly recommended, 30 Aug 2007
By G. Paterson (London, UK)

I read this book in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down. How can this
sort of thing happen in this country? It’s a miracle that Teresa Cooper
survived and has gone on to make a life for herself. I wish her all the
best and hope she gets justice.