I Remembered: Recovering from Childhood Sexual Abuse

I Remembered chronicles my experience-at age forty-nine-when I recalled the sexual abuse by my father as a young girl. Through my journal entries, represented here verbatim, I share my journey to heal from the aftermath of this profound awakening. My story is one of survival. It follows the course of the first year of healing-from my psychotic break and diagnosis of PTSD and paranoia, through the flashbacks and memories, my disclosure to family, working through the grief process, and finally to acceptance and forgiveness. My story is one of survival and hope-one that will interest fellow survivors of sexual abuse, loved ones who want to help them, the recovery community, and those with a general interest in this subject. Silence and shame are hallmarks of sexual abuse and my story lends a personal voice to what survivors experience in their struggle to heal. I read several books on the subject of healing from sexual abuse, and I could not find one like this which shares what it is like to work through this overwhelming process. My story is raw and unflinching, and my purpose in sharing it is to lend hope and help to other survivors.