What’s in it?
Throughout the book, you will follow the journey of real women and hear their stories in their own voice. All the stories are 100% true. The book begins with a captivating story of one victim’s terrorizing escape and ends with closure and a story of healing.
Section 1 details six Types of Abuse. The goal of this section is to raise awareness about the various types of abuse and show what that it looks like through examples of the abuse in action. Examples range along the pendulum of severity and also cover a range of circumstances from intimate relationships to community relationships and even abuse in the workplace.
Section 2 breaks a question victims often ask themselves and get asked by others: How Did This Happen? We dig into the process abusers use to break down their victims over time as well as language we use as victims and allies that actually serve to keep victims in abusive relationships. This powerful section will transform your understanding of the cycle of abuse and your role in it.
Section 3, How We Got Here, digs into cultural influences and on-going silence that has led to where we are today.
Although this book is not about encouraging victims to abandon their relationships, there are times when that is the right choice. Section 4, When It’s Time to Leave, provides action plans and resources to support victims in their escape.
Section 5 begins the recovery process in what we call, The Aftermath. Recognizing the need for change or even exiting a bad relationship is not the end but rather the beginning of a long journey of on-going victimization, overcoming trauma, and stopping the cycle. This section has provided powerful relief for victims and opened the eyes of their support systems.
We may not all experience significant abuse in our lives, but we can all be better allies to others. Section 6 details the value of Being a Good Ally (to yourself and others) while providing a clear path for doing so.