5.16.2008

sexual assault: two very good stories of recovery

This week, the Globe and Mail ran two excellent essays in their "Facts & Arguments" section. They were both stories of healing from sexual assault, and they ran on back-to-back days.

Read them while they're still accessible:

Taking Back Control, by Allison Haley,

and

The Burden of Silence, by Janet Goldblatt.

Although each person's experience is unique, it's remarkable how so many stories of sexual trauma sound alike. Both these women use almost the exact same words I have used when writing about my own experience.

The first writing I ever had published was about my own recovery from rape, and, like these women, my essay was published nationally. That was quite an experience in itself. For a while it was the only clip I had to send to editors, which was a bit strange!

I hope Allison Haley and Janet Goldblatt know that by speaking out, they are helping survivors - women and men - everywhere. I thank them both.

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