I was thinking about how many people Arias has managed to throw under the bus and after hearing about Ms. Alyce LaViolette’s (the defense expert currently on the stand in the Jodi Arias murder trial) speaking engagement being cancelled in Long Beach yesterday I thought I would check out the review of her book on Amazon. It is called “It Could Happen To Anyone: Why Battered Women Stay” (2nd edition) Here are a few of the Amazon Reviews:
1. This is one of the nicer ones:
1.0 out of 5 stars Don’t waste your money on this garbage., April 5, 2013
By
This review is from: It Could Happen To Anyone: Why Battered Women Stay (Paperback)
“Read this book if you want to send your life in downward spiral – the book reeks of hostility to men, and you will be trapped in your fear and loneliness forever. Author of the book is so obviously outdated in her knowledge of what it takes for a woman to survive in 2013, I wonder if she still lives in the 70s. She states rather obvious facts, but does not offer any solution for those who are trapped in abusive situation or those survivors of domestic violence who learning how to heal their life . Don’t waste your money. Look at the books by Lundy Bancroft or Edward Kubany instead.
By the way, Ms. LaViolette cashed on the bloody murder, and her professional opinion is for sale. She collaborates with attorney who is specializing in defending child molesters and rapists – how is THAT for domestic violence advocate?”
2. Here’s one from someone who actually read the book:
1.0 out of 5 stars Devastating, April 5, 2013
By
Cooper (San Diego, California) – See all my reviews
This review is from: It Could Happen To Anyone: Why Battered Women Stay (Paperback)
“After I read this book, it made me feel like I was the victim, I had to be put on a 72 hour hold because my psychologist thought I was suicidal she advised me that Alyce LaViolette is very manipulative and has a reputation of being a controller.”
3. And from someone following the Arias trial:
1.0 out of 5 stars The get away with man murder Manuel!, April 6, 2013
By
Malissa Williams – See all my reviews
This review is from: It Could Happen To Anyone: Why Battered Women Stay (Paperback)
“Great book for anyone planning to murder the man in her life!! What? That a**-hole is a FLIRT???? And he LIED about his level of sexual experience????? Well that pig just deserves to be stabbed 27 times, have his throat cut to the spine, and because he also call you a crazy, evil, sociopath ( hmmmmm…) go ahead and cap him in rhe face with a 25. Yep, then call Ms. Alyce Laviolette! If you have $300.00 per hour ( and beware, she is long winded and LOVES, to tell story’s) she will tell the world why that “terrorist” had it comin! Oh, and if that jerk in your life had a less than perfect childhood, and you were ever whacked by a spoon , well girl, you’re as good as innocent!”
I would feel sorry for this woman but she accepted the job of supporting a violent stalker/ murderess without giving any credence to the other side of the story. As of this writing there are 403 one star reviews (the lowest you can give) and only 17 five star reviews (the highest). There is no option for zero stars, by the way.
http://www.amazon.com/Could-Happen-Anyone-Battered-Women/dp/0761919953
mixedbagblogdotcom 
Glad I learned who not to trust, Ms. L.
I did not participate in the Amazon website trashing of Ms. LaViolette, but I did read some of it. I do not believe it is wrong to give a book review based on the legitimacy of the author. As a victim of domestic abuse, I found Ms. LaViolette’s testimony offensive. However, the Amazon review section seemed to diminish into a conversation blog that was inappropriate for a book review forum. As a survivor of domestic abuse, I was disturbed by her testimony. It seemed she had the roles of Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias reversed. It seemed so clear that Travis was the abused and Jodi was the aggressor. Ms. LaViolette would have us believe that Travis was not the victim because he continued the sexual relationship even after it was apparent that Jodi was deranged. Well, without speaking to Mr. Alexander with respect to his concerns or feelings, I believe she did not have enough information to form a conclusion. It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck to think that if my husband had killed me, someone like Ms. LaViolette could come in and take his word (a known liar) and destroy my reputation. That would be all my children and the rest of my family would have left of me. After I told my abuser it was over, I did continue to sleep with him even though I was afraid. I did this mainly because he was acting so scary through his stalking and threats, I thought it would appease him for the moment until I could figure out a way to get out safely. I guess I was thinking I could wean him off the relationship. The other reason was that I did still care and I was afraid he would kill himself. He tried to guilt me like that. Anyway, there is so much more I could say about how complicated it is to end an abusive relationship, but the point is that I believe Ms. LaViolette is inaccurate in her characterization of domestic abuse. In addition, I think readers do have the right to hear the opinion of others in regard to the author’s assessment of the characteristics of abuse. Anyone who watched the trial knows where Ms. LaViolette stands and has a good idea about how she forms her conclusions, but a book review website is not the forum for conversations and opinions related the trial itself.
I am glad you managed to leave your situation. I am also a DV survivor and understand how you try to ‘be nice’ to your psycho ex so they will also ‘be nice.’ It is like walking a tightrope.I did not join in the attacks on Amazon as I have not read her book. I do understand how some people feel the need to express themselves, maybe Amazon is not the best place.
When Laviolet was 1st on the stand I tried to be unbiased. As she went on it was so plain to see the woman was a man-hater. She made me so angry when she just wouldn’t admit to Juan that Travis could have been the one being abused. My brother was and is still married to a woman who physically abuses him. He refuses to put his hands on her and she knows it. My son was recently living with a woman who abused him. Thank goodness he got out of that relationship early on. Although he still thinks he still loves her. I could see she was bi-polar from the start. They had told me a story where she had gotten into an argument with her mother over a stupid tv show and she jumped on her mother. Men do get abused and women do abuse, its plain and simple. Men do not tell people they are being abused because it makes them look like a whimp. I’m sure shes never had any men come to her with the problem but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. She angered a lot of people by helping the defense trash Travis Alexander. Maybe the woman needs to retire.
Also I would like to add. Juan could have asked her if she really wanted to go on with the Snow White story and the 7 dwarfs. Wasn’t it the Queen (Snow White’s step mother) who killed the King in the beginning of the story? Or do I have the story wrong?
Thank you for sharing your experience as well as your understanding in regard to how difficult it is in trying to end an abusive relationship. I can totally relate to the struggle Mr. Alexander was having to endure with that psychopathic woman. She is a classic example of an abuser/stalker. Those types need to be “handled with kid gloves.” It is an impossible situation. I know because I’ve been there. I’m sorry Mr. Alexander lost his life at the hands of that manipulative, evil, liar that is Jodi Arias. I also understand the need for people to express themselves, and I have voiced my opinion about the depravity of Ms. LaViolette and the members of Jodi Arias’ defense team on several websites. In regard to Amazon, I think people have the right to inform any potential buyer of Ms. LaViolette’s book that she is either a sell-out and she misconstrues facts to fit whatever agenda she may have, or she simply knows nothing about domestic abuse despite her credentials and supposed years in the field. Anyone who watched the trail would have a right to comment on that in regard to her book. As long as the posts on Amazon were in reference to the book, those people had every right to inform potential readers that Ms. LaViolette is a fraud.
I totally agree with you! And thanks for your comments.
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Why people still make use of to read news papers when in this
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So true.