The Hospital: How I survived the secret child experiments at Aston Hall

Barbara O'Hare

Feb 2017 · Bonnier Publishing Ltd.

About this eBook

A shocking expose of the appalling abuse and experimentation carried out on vulnerable children at Aston Hall Hospital, Derbyshire, in the 60s and 70s.

Ratings and reviews

An amazing story of the loss of innocence by the adults who were meant to care and protect. strength and carriage to over come the hardship that should never have been lived!

I have no words. You truly did experience so much evil. Thank you for writing this book. I wish you and the others all the best and am sending you Love, Light and Strength... My only question is - Did you ever find Christine?

Amazing book, could not put it down. I have relatives who grew up in Derby and the West Midlands area in the 1950s and 60s, and have heard similar things about how runaways were treated in those generations. It's tough to read because one feels extremely frustrated for Barbara, knowing that she was repeatedly set up to seem as though she had serious behavioural issues when she was just going through the normal preteen/teen rebelliousness, compounded by the fear and trust issues from being physically and psychologically abused at a very young age (another thing that was all too common at the time). Very brave of her to come forward and tell her story when initially no one believed her; to keep fighting until the truth was heard. Glad that she was able to bring some validation to the others who passed through that awful hospital. She is also an exceptional writer, which makes it all the more compelling to read.

About the author

Barbara O'Hare was admitted to Aston Hall psychiatric hospital when she was 12-years-old, where she was subjected to horrifying courses of 'treatment' from its head physician. Frequently injected with drugs, locked away and abused, Barbara has attempted to come to terms with her time at Aston Hall 46 years on. After creating the Facebook group 'Survivors of Aston Hall', victims have been brought together in their search for answers of how the abuse they suffered came to pass, and was kept secret for so long. Their efforts have led to a major police investigation and a meeting at the Houses of Parliament to have their story heard. Now, more than 100 people have come forward alleging abuse at Aston Hall.

This is Barbara's first book, exposing the abuse she suffered at Aston Hall.