Scarred: A Memoir of a Childhood Stolen and a Life Reclaimed

In his first book, Fredericks details his childhood abuse and the path it led him down. Between the ages of six and 12, he was groomed, sexually molested, then raped by a family friend and prominent member of his small-town New Jersey community. Gripped by shame and fear, Fredericks kept silent, numbing himself with progressively more destructive drug, alcohol, sex, and gambling addictions. Thirty years after the rape, triggered by a high-profile child sex abuse scandal, Fredericks was ignited with rage and murdered his abuser, a crime for which he was arrested, tried, and convicted. Finally telling his story, he found sympathy and support and experienced change and healing in prison, developing spiritual faith and self-discipline. Upon his release from prison, Fredericks became an advocate for child abuse victims and found meaning by more publicly sharing his past. Written with direct language and short chapters, his memoir is accessible and engaging.