Tag: family
To the fathers who do not abuse their daughters
On my street I am witness to the young men who carry the pink-flowered backpacks of little girls, who stoop to listen to their newsy plotless...
How to become a feminist horror writer
It’s the early 90’s. You watch “Gremlins” at a sleepover at your best friend’s house. You love sleepovers; you secretly pray you’ll never have...
A legacy of abuse: Telling on my brother
A deathbed confession, 1997 Mom unburdens herself only weeks before she dies. She tells me about Mike’s abuse against his children. Her revelations confirm...
When Mom stood by
Detecting abusers is a complex problem. Who is the real villain in the story? As a survivor of childhood sexual, physical, and emotional abuse,...
Poem for my father
Did you enjoy hitting? My mother, your woman? Did you love shouting? That you never wanted us and to my mother Shut your cake-hole, you mental bitch? As though...
Waking up at Mom’s one month after the assault
“The name Remy is primarily a gender-neutral name of French origin that means Oarsman.” –babynames.com When I wake up the sun is out. Trump has elected himself. One sea has proliferated sweetly, as...
What needs to be said
What needs to be said that you haven’t yet talked about?” the woman from hospice looked at me. I suspected I knew but remained...
An old woman survivor: my story
I reached far back under the bed and pulled the orange out into the light of the small bedroom. The mold had grown since...
Essays in search of identity after cult, abuse
Part memoir, part essay collection, Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing is a fearless book.
An open letter from a survivor
To other survivors: You are not alone. Not now, not ever. Crawl if you have to, but keep moving forward in the knowledge that you...
Recommended Reading
The acknowledgement
I’m trying to be gentle with myself, but what if I never believe my body when it tells me what happened?
Have the time of your life!*
*Common side effects may include but are not limited to: harassment, stalking, getting drugged, passing out in...
To the fathers who do not abuse their daughters
On my street I am witness to the young men who carry the pink-flowered backpacks of little girls, who...
