Revelson Editions Unveils The Story of Emiliah Bent: British Author Sheds Light on Foster Child Abuse in France

GRENOBLE, France, Oct. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Revelson Editions announces the release of The Story of Emiliah Bent, a gripping new novel by British author Hannah Dickson, inspired by real events witnessed by the author as a child in a small French village.

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The novel's release comes at a time when an unrelated major criminal trial in Châteauroux, France, is set to begin. This week, nineteen individuals from the Creuse, Haute-Vienne, and Indre regions are to face accusations of illegally fostering children, allegedly subjecting them to violence, forced labor, and humiliation between 2010 and 2017.

Hannah Dickson moved to a small Haute-Vienne village in 1991 with her family. As a child attending the local primary school, Ms. Dickson recalls witnessing "sadistic abuse" of foster children carried out by the school's headmaster and village mayor. "Even at the age of eleven, I was horrified," said Dickson. "I couldn't understand why nobody intervened. At fourteen, I was sexually assaulted by a foster father, so I must say, I drew my own conclusions."

Dickson's older brother, Dominic, left the area as a young man, seeking to escape the troubling situation, as was recently covered in The Telegraph Runaway heir reveals scandal of child abuse behind his family reunion story (telegraph.co.uk)

Initially conceived as a lighthearted romantic comedy, The Story of Emiliah Bent evolved into a dark exploration of domestic violence, child trafficking, and systemic corruption, as Ms. Dickson wrestled with her own battles against PTSD. While the story is mostly fictionalized, Dickson hopes it will "help spark a broader conversation about the treatment of foster children, the widespread dismissal of children's testimonies, and the shockingly lenient sentencing for crimes committed against children."

As the trial in Châteauroux begins, Dickson hopes the proceedings will serve as a wake-up call, prompting greater accountability and protection for vulnerable children in the foster care system. "My thoughts are with the victims who have endured unimaginable suffering," she added.

The novel is dedicated to Christophe Blin, a foster child who was the favorite target of the headmaster in Dickson's class, and who tragically died of cancer at the age of thirty-seven. In his memory, Dickson is donating her author royalties from The Story of Emiliah Bent to La Voix de l'Enfant, an organization devoted to protecting vulnerable children, including those in foster care.

For more information, email: contact@revelson.com 

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