Cry Silent Tears: The heartbreaking survival story of a small mute boy who overcame unbearable suffering and found his voice again

This book was painful but riveting. There were times I needed a break but knew I couldn't stop. I was eager to get to the end where I was sure justice would be served, but it was not. In fact we don't even know if Uncle So-and-So's house of porn horrors was ever shut down. I'm sorry to say it does cast some doubt on the whole story that the author didn't pursue justice. It may have helped in the rescue other children. I would at least liked to have read something about the present condition of his tormentors lives, not to mention that of Uncle So-and-So's. Also, I am so bothered by the social worker who had him physically forced back to his tormentors. Does she to this day know what she did to the boy, and does she have any excuses for not following up or taking precautions such as having a wire planted on the boy. I gave the book four stars because it was a fascinating read, but more importantly an enlightening read as few books are.

This book was hard to stomach. It's so hard to believe there are people out there that would treat children like this. I read other reviews about the book and it did have me intrigued to find out if this little boy over comes this terrible life he is made to live in. I have to admit I was hoping for a better ending....but all in all this is a good read that will leave you thinking about the world we live in and hopefully encourage you to want to help change it.

I just want to write Joe Peters. I want to tell him that I'm so desperately sorry that he went through what he did. Death would have been merciful, it would seem. More than that, I want him to know that while people and society have utterly failed him, there is One that ultimately will never fail him. While the sufferings of this world are so incredibly painful and unfair, I believe that God will one day wipe away your tears, my tears, our tears. The One who sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross became intimately acquainted with pain and suffering Himself (in order to provide us victory over death, to provide us eternal life). And because of this, we have reason to hold onto hope. I know God to be only and ever loving. This, I would imagine, may be difficult to wrap one's mind around given the sadness and pain He allowed to continue for such a length of time. My answer to that puzzle: I honestly don't know. What I CAN say is that I have weighed the evidence, I have pondered my doubts, asked the tough questions, and considered the alternatives. And all points, regardless of how much evil looms, lead to the fact that HE IS there. And that He loves me - and that He, most assuredly, desperately loves you. The biggest obstacle which prevents so many of us from believing in HIM is the fact that a large majority of mankind experiences a great deal of suffering (some more than others, certainly). Why? Why would a loving God allow suffering to occur? My answer: again, I don't know. But I have a good guess (well, I think so, anyways). My guess is that the glorious goodness of what He has prepared for you, for me, for us in heaven far, FAR surpasses the misery of earthly suffering. He has a place waiting for you and for me.....a glorious home of beauty, peace, love, and absence of all darkness and pain. He says in the Bible that "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:4) Indeed, an eternity of glorious love and peace and beauty - an ETERNITY! My sincerest prayer for you is that you know His peace, His love, His mercy, His grace. I believe this is the key to healing for all of us, regardless of our pasts. There is a God-sized hole residing in all of our hearts, and only He can fill it. I truly believe nothing else can fill it (not a partner, a substance, a child, wealth, beauty, or fame). I know that, while I haven't been through what you have, I couldn't go a day without Him. Not one. My prayer is that if you don't know Him, you will. In the Bible, it details what Jesus Christ went through when He was crucified in order to grant us eternity with God....From the book of Isaiah:"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.Like one from whom people hide their faceshe was despised, and we held him in low esteem.4 Surely he took up our painand bore our suffering,yet we considered him punished by God,stricken by him, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him,and by his wounds we are healed."By HIS wounds we are healed. What a beautiful depiction. He is intimately, personally acquainted with your sufferings. Not even a sparrow can fall from the sky without His awareness. If you ever desire to know about the real God that really loves you, check out the New Testament book of John in the Bible. There you can find the truth about Him and His deepest love. I look forward to that glorious day when He does, indeed, wipe away our every tear. My prayers are with you, dear Joe.Romans 8:38-3938"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

When I say I loved this book and gave it 5 stars please know that it's due to the author's courage to re-visit his past and bring awareness. It was a hard read. I was emotionally distraught for days. I had no idea that thousands of children are being abused in this way and that people can be this evil. It was an eye opening book for me. I cried a lot reading it. I just wanted to rescue Joe and torture his mom and abusers the way they tortured him. They will get their punishment one day. They will burn in Hell. True evil exists here on earth. I am so sorry Joe that you had such a terrible childhood. I know it will never leave you but I pray God gives you a renewed mind and spirit. It's definitely left a huge impression on me. I am disappointed with other reviewers who say they don't believe it. If I were Joe and someone didn't believe my horrific experience would be like a knife through the heart. I applaud your courage Joe.

What can I say amazing story.Author makes you feel right there while reading.Sad so many children suffer in one way or another.Kudos to Cathy Glass for being able to write about these stories.

Heartbreaking,hard to understand that these things happen and why

Another reviewer says, this is the most shocking book they have read of this type - and i agree absolutely.I didn`t think i could be shocked any more as i have read many books like this one, but what i felt was beyond shock - beyond anything i have ever felt before. All the way through i felt i was rushing as i wanted to quickly get to the part where joe was saved, and i kept thinking please let it be in the next chapter as i can`t bear any more of this... It never happened. Things just got worse and worse and worse. We are often told that kids are more at risk of abuse at the hands of family/friends, but we don`t really believe that and are always worried about the `bad man` who will run off with our child if we`re not vigilant at all times. Joe helped me to understand that, yes indeed, kids most certainly are in a hell of a lot more danger from family/friends than any stranger. The world of paedophilia is a very dark, frightening and secret place - not where kids are killed - but used and abused - and then alarmingly, taken back home ! How any mother could treat her child the way joe`s mother did is beyond human understanding, and if the devil has a mistress it surely is her.So many people were alerted to joe`s plight, yet chose to close their ears and eyes. There was a time when she could actually have killed him - i thought she was going to - and no-one would have asked any questions. He simply would not have been missed - even though he should have been at school. That in itself is extremely alarming !I feel i do have to say to wally - joe`s brother - I know you did your best for joe, and at times he clearly wouldn`t have survived if not for you, but when you managed to escape your mother`s clutches and went to start a new life for yourself, it wouldn`t have killed you to make a phone call and send the authorities round there to rescue joe from the cellar, would it, wally... ?Joe, i don`t know what to say to you because i simply don`t have the words, except that i`m so sorry you were born into such an evil family - you deserved so much better - and i`m so, so sad that you lost your lovely dad the way you did. He was no angel, but he most certainly was your guardian angel, your hero, and your protector - the sort of dad everybody wants - god bless him.And god bless you. x

I could not put this book down. It broke my heart to think no one ever helped him and he was to afraid to share his abuse with those who could help him. It is so sad some kids have to live a life like Joe. In the end he should have spilled his heart and made the abusers pay for what the did to him.😢😢😢😢😢

I came across to this book while I was researching into child sex abuse for my now-published Innocents of Oppression novel as it has a backstory by a deaf boy character who was sexually abused. I was intrigued by the book's description about Joe meing struck mute and that he was unable to communicate, which is similar to what many sexually abused deaf children experience. They not only couldn't communicate verbally, but also being nanned from using sign language by those who think they should use their voice not their hands.This is a truly incredible, but harrowing, story. Joe Peters describes exactly and explicitly about how he felt what it was like being locked up in the cellar for three year from the age of five, being beaten, being sexually abused by members of his family and being sold to the paedophile ring by his mother and, most of all, his muteness. Although I was never abused as a child, I could relate to him very well when it comes to trying to communicate with people (I'm deaf and can't speak as I use sign language) and that I could understand his frustrations. The way he has described about his experiences being subjected to horrific sexual abuse by the padeophile ring was truly sickening and strangely enough, it has helped me to understand more about the children's feelings and inner agony.I'll never really understand how Joe had managed to survive all of what he went through. The book is one of the most vivid I've ever read about child abuse and it's an absolute must-read for the likes of social services, police, child protection officer and such to help them really understand the mind of an abused child and the lies that surrounds them.I have also just finished reading his follow up, Cry Myself to Sleep, which is just as absorbing as this one. Highly recommended.