IndiaWeb Post

Book Review

A Cry For Helping Women

In Search of Justice

By Ram Kumar.

Ram Publishing Co., International, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Hardcover, pp 185, Price: $24.50. Can be ordered by calling or from the author at

Reviewed By DN VERMA

* Every 15 seconds a woman is battered by her husband.

* Four Million incidents of domestic violence are reported each year.

* Almost 25 per cent of American women are abused or have been abused by a partner.

* Forty three percent of battered women never tell anyone of their abuse.

These frightening statistics are from the United States, one of the world’s more ‘enlightened’ countries where feminism is at a great heights, women claim equality and in most cases are granted that privilege in the eyes of law. Imagine statistics worldwide, in countries where women have gained little or no rights to equality and where women are not allowed to study, even drive cars and work in the offices, and are forced to remain behind the veil.

This is not giving a verdict if OJ Simpson murdered Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman; but it is appropriate to think about what Nicole’s kids might be feeling at the loss of their mother. The media has been focused too much on the trials but not enough on the kids. One would be truly sorry for the loss of two wonderful lives but would also be sad for the kids without their mother and the Goldmans without their son. Regardless of the fact who is responsible for those two deaths, the question is: What’s next for the kids and the elder Goldman?

Ram Kumar, the writer of the In Search of Justice, suffered a similar loss in his life over 17 years ago. He was 20 years then and knew the people responsible for his mother’s death but before her death, promised that he will not punish the culprits but will let God do the judging and award punishment. He had promised his mother before she died that he would dedicate his life to find answers to why people turn evil against each other, that too in married life.

It may sound weird and incredible but the fact remains that the Human, and not the ferocious predator, is the most dangerous creature on earth. The reason is because we have made every conceivable law possible and keep making more every day to protect us from each other! This is the saddest reality and fact of life.

To Ram Kumar, it was natural to feel that his mother was the most loving and beautiful woman on Earth and if a woman like her could suffer so much at the hands of those closest to her than there is something very wrong with this world. And he spent 17 years of his life to find out what is wrong and how it can be corrected.

He says while his friends pursued studies to be doctors and engineers, he went for finding the meaning of life. He did so because of the promise he made to his mother.

Kumar in his travels, around the Globe, found that many women--and men also--silently suffer abuse and go on with their lives as best they can. He asked why, and tried to get to the depths of the answers to their sufferings, and after years of struggle, he says he succeeded.

Kumar says: "The other day I read that we have created a panel to study why Americans are ‘so cynical, so distressed, so angry, so ticked off about so many things.’ It will be underwritten by a $950,000 grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. To study the issue of anger in Americans is like studying the cause of hunger, with similar results, not resolving the actual issue. It is relatively easy for anyone to study and understand why someone acted destructively but hard to give the actual solution as to how it can be stopped."

Kumar has ideas that may sound different; they are, as he has seen so much and endured silently for quite a long time. He says: "We are often angered by many things in life. The anger often starts from the day we were born when our basic needs of love and care are not fulfilled. We cry and whine and when nothing we can do to have our needs fulfilled, we grow up hurt, sad and angry. That is why Americans are so angry, cynical, distressed and ticked off about so many things. The actual solution is to have the needs of American children fulfilled."

But what about the hundreds of millions of people who already have been hurt with the past unfulfilled needs? He says, "That was my quest when 17 years ago I started writing my book In Search of Justice. I did not want to blame anyone or be angry at anyone. Blame and anger is for children and God. I wanted to find the answers to help people find peace within themselves so they will not hurt anyone, especially themselves. Self love is the most important factor of life. It is my indisputable belief thatEach human is born to be good; the unfortunate family and social circumstances make us evil towards self and others. I wanted to find the answers to how we can actually resolve and make peace with the past hurt and pain so we will not hurt ourselves or the people closest to us and the society.

"I started my search out of my love for my mother and after her death for every woman who is suffering any pain and injustice. I succeeded in my quest and the result is my book. I totally believe in the fact that there has to be a way of life on earth that will not blame either self or others for our life but the way that will help us to make peace with self, life, God and the society. Every one seems to be living in the struggle and denial phases of life to lessen the pain and hurt inside of us. I found the third phase of life and the day I found it was the day my promise to my mother was fulfilled."

According to the Justice Department’s national crime victimization survey, one million women each year are the victims of domestic abuse. Kumar says if he could give his book free of charge to each one of those people and help them make peace with their self, the calls to the Abuse Center hot line --7,000 daily-- will decline drastically.

A disturbing fact is that women are the fastest growing segment of the prison population.

Another fact is that 80 percent of women in prison are mothers.

Women create and sustain life. When they are successful and fulfilled, their children will be happy. We all desire to see our parents happy. So much of our anger derives from our suffering mothers. The children of 80 percent of the women in prison are growing up angry and mad, because they need their mothers at home, not in prison. Agreed, these women have committed crime and they must pay for it. But the question is what crime their children committed that they have to pay for it? No one really addresses this problem. It seems Kumar has given a lot of thought to it and his book will help those children to accept and face the truth and reality so they can have a real chance to make peace with life and the society.

Kumar has divided his book basically in three parts : 1. Achieving physical, emotional, mental and spiritual success; 2. Money, ways to make it; and 3. Achieving success in love, marriage, sex, family and society.

In the first part Kumar discusses the real or symbolic needs, the secrets of life as he sees it, religion and God etc. The second part is devoted to money-making through education, professions, business, and there are some sources listed for more information and how to turn $100 into millions. The third part is taken up by subjects such as the true meaning of love, fear, guilt, marriage, judgment, racism, denial and a wide variety of topics.In Search of Justice, is in a way, a potpourri of spirituality as well as materialism, studded with useful hints about how to regain control of your life in both matters.

President Bill Clinton sent a message to Ram Kumar. Noted film star of yester years and renowned dancer, Asha Parekh, has commended the book and hoped "that all children will feel for their mother what Mr Ram Kumar felt. Those who will read their hearts will be warmed and free spirits will soar."

Another film personality, Sujit Kumar says "Your book is very spiritual and enlightening with messages for every family and child. It’s a must for every household."

This is a book by not an established writer but one who seems to know his subject and has, because of obvious reasons, the earnest desire to help other people, specially women and children that need urgent and effective help.

[The hot line to report abuses is ; for hearing impaired it is: .]



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