MY experience of life, and my extensive training as a health worker in the community, has taught me that any villain taken in the general sense, has a background of some form of abuse.

It rarely matters where they originate, what nationality or background, male or female, in the main some form of abuse has occurred in the past.

It may have been of an emotional (mental) physical or sexual nature. There lies the cause and effect' of the villain.' Environmental factors, conditioning of the mind (religion), the lack of correct parental care and guidance, indeed contribute to the villain of today and in the past and tragically in the future.

There are of course other influences of hereditary tendencies that can and do produce behavioural problems.

A deviancy occurs and personality defects, the consequences are people who kill, destroy minds, dominate and bully loved ones and the public at large.

All of these examples appear to stem from some form of abuse in childhood. Or mismanagement of the individual. Criminality and psychological effects such as murder and paedophilia happen all too frequently.

Violence breeds violence' or so it is said. I rest my case when illustrating war mongers, extremists, terrorists and megalomaniacs of the past, present and sadly the future. Deviant, oppressive minds rule and ruin. The villains of the piece. Fact or fiction?

The phenomenon of the cycle of deprivation' goes on. If it is not broken the abused' becomes the abuser' and mankind in general is held to ransom.' What goes around comes around.

I feel the situation of rehabilitation and reversal of and repair of the effects of villainy' for the world at large, looks an impossible task.

Reversal of this cycle' if attainable, world peace done correctly, might be encouraging for new generations.

ELLEN SPRING, Whalley Road, Blackburn.