I imagine most of you go to the grocery store, out to lunch or even just take a walk around your neighborhood without having to even think about it right? It is part of your everyday routine, and it comes naturally. But what if it wasn’t that easy or safe? I want you for just a second to think: would you be able to do it blindfolded? Would you still find it easy or safe? For some like me who have a history of abuse and trauma just simple tasks like these can be overwhelming and daunting. At...

When was your first sexual experience? Was it kind, gentle and consensual? For so many, including myself, this was not the case. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This is a hard month for so many suffering in silence. Reliving the nightmare, the feelings, the emotions of what was taken from us. For me, as someone who has been assaulted numerous times every week for over 39 years, starting with my mother and her satanic obsession with my body, led to her sending a variety of men into...

Recently while out with my daughter celebrating her birthday we decided to stop and grab dinner before going home. While we were waiting for our food she was visiting with a previous teacher and overheard part of a conversation that her grandmother came up and had with me. This resulted in my daughter shutting down and not wanting to celebrate. After we left and got home, she would barely eat and when going to bed asked me, “If the celebration for her birthday with friends on Saturday would...