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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - In her autobiography, a Mossel Bay woman tells how her husband was stabbed to death next to her while she was holding their six-month-old baby.
Author Frances Frans has written the most remarkable book about her life, titled Die Vroulike Alkoholis.
South Africa has a high rate of alcohol abuse and the highest rate of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in the world, so the book is extremely relevant, seeing that female alcoholism is a massive problem in our country.
Shame, stigma
Frans, herself, did not drink while pregnant, but she writes about the shame and stigma of female alcoholism. Her book is useful for those who need help, their loved ones, social workers and others who counsel addicts.
World Health Organisation reports and research done by the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (Louw article) estimate the SA national rate of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum to be about 11% (Popova et al,. 2019 and Lange et al., 2017). The global FAS rate is less than 1% (Popova, 2019).
In Die Vroulike Alkoholis, Frans tells of incredible experiences she endured.
God's help
She told Mossel Bay Advertiser she could not have stopped drinking without God's help.
She grew up in Pacaltsdorp, outside George, in a large, loving family, with God-fearing parents.
There was no dysfunction or trauma in her childhood that might have led to her being an alcoholic.
Wrong choices
However, yearning for love and being addicted to the high of being in love, led her to make the wrong choices.
She had a number of relationships which failed and she went through trauma in adulthood and took comfort in drinking.
Frans admits that being in a Christian home, with Christian parents, does not necessarily mean one has one's own relationship with the Lord.
Frans gives some advice on stopping drinking. Video: Linda Sparg
Fluent
A former high school and also special needs teacher, Frans is a good writer, fluent with her pen, good at expressing herself.
Her style is brief and to the point.
Die Vroulike Alkoholis makes gripping reading and is hard to put down.
It can be read in a day or two.
Practical advice
At the end of the account, Frans gives practical advice for women wanting to stop drinking or overcome any other addiction.
She has experience in helping alcoholics, having put together material for an alcoholics' recovery programme at a rehabilitation centre and having counselled alcoholics.
Besides a 35-year career, teaching, Frans also worked as a drama coach for 25 years, having started her own drama group in George.
Accomplished author
She is an accomplished author and has written three anthologies of dramatic plays for high school learners and two Christian drama books.
Frans has also written more Christian books: Virrie Tiener in My Hood, Skeidsmure tussen my en God, 70 dankies van 'n vrou and Ek Moet Praat.
She acts and coaches would-be actors. For more information on her books, contact Frans (061 536 9945).
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