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Woman In Hiding: A True Tale of Backdoor Abuse, Dark Secrets & Other Evil Deeds
The story rises from the 1960s, a time when girls did not own rights to their bodies and no social or legal definitions existed for acquaintance rape. Impregnated by a rapist posing as a boyfriend, Kathleen was socially and religiously condemned and shunted away to a home for unwed mothers to hide the evidence of her sins. The guaranteed confidential adoption process was the lifeline that allowed teenaged Kathleen to believe that her mutilating ordeal was over. But people have a way of betraying secrets, even after 30 years, and certain strangers won't stop the hunt until they destroy what never belonged to them. Ambushed by the recurrence of the crippling trauma from her past, Kathleen was left with two speak or be destroyed. Kathleen chose to speak.
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 3, 2024
Is This An Overview?
Silencing the past, silencing the tragedy, silencing the emotional wounds does not lead to healing. Pretending that traumatic events did not happen, does not change the fact of what happened. This is a story about a lifetime of silence, of being a secret keeper. This is a story about sharing those secrets. Secrets of physical harassment, emotional harassment, sexually harassment. Harassment of the vulnerable paves the way for trauma, to misery. In response to the pain caused to them, to escape their pain, they develop behaviors that lead to more misery. Behaviors such as taking out their rage on those even more vulnerable than them. Situational awareness changes for the traumatized, as they see danger everywhere. The support for victims of harassment is often denied by society, which does not recognize the harassment, which allows the perpetrators to continue their inappropriate behavior.
Caveats?
This is a story about tragic events, that the reader needs to be emotionally prepared to engage with. As an autobiography, there is always a concern for how the events are remembered. Tragic as the events were, there is uncertainty about the actual thoughts the author had as a child or later. As the book is consistent of personal thoughts, they sometimes read like poetry, sometimes poorly written comments in need of organization. The perspective on events is singular. An understanding of the events would have been enhanced by what others thought of the situations. Representing a lifetime of events means that many events, interactions, and details are missing.
Silencing the past, silencing the tragedy, silencing the emotional wounds does not lead to healing. Pretending that traumatic events did not happen, does not change the fact of what happened. This is a story about a lifetime of silence, of being a secret keeper. This is a story about sharing those secrets. Secrets of physical harassment, emotional harassment, sexually harassment. Harassment of the vulnerable paves the way for trauma, to misery. In response to the pain caused to them, to escape their pain, they develop behaviors that lead to more misery. Behaviors such as taking out their rage on those even more vulnerable than them. Situational awareness changes for the traumatized, as they see danger everywhere. The support for victims of harassment is often denied by society, which does not recognize the harassment, which allows the perpetrators to continue their inappropriate behavior.
Caveats?
This is a story about tragic events, that the reader needs to be emotionally prepared to engage with. As an autobiography, there is always a concern for how the events are remembered. Tragic as the events were, there is uncertainty about the actual thoughts the author had as a child or later. As the book is consistent of personal thoughts, they sometimes read like poetry, sometimes poorly written comments in need of organization. The perspective on events is singular. An understanding of the events would have been enhanced by what others thought of the situations. Representing a lifetime of events means that many events, interactions, and details are missing.
February 15, 2020
The biggest thing to keep in mind with this book is the time period here. We’re talking about the 1950s/60s—before rape even had a name. Before abortion was legal. When you were allowed by law to beat your children practically senseless and no one stepped in, especially among Catholic neighborhoods. “Good girls” certainly never got pregnant under ANY circumstances.
I know she’s a controversial figure, but dysfunctional families like hers DO exist. Nobody ever did anything wrong; past history is always whitewashed if it’s talked about at all. Skeletons die with relatives.
She grew up in a strict, abusive household with a mother who tried to give her some kind of life outside of the smacks, molestations, constant screaming, chaos, noise, and fear. She discovered that as long as she kept the family tradition of keeping silent about her home life, she was popular. Until she befriended the wrong guy. Over 18 months he abused and raped her repeatedly, ending up with an unwanted pregnancy. Little did she know that 30 years after giving the child up, the child would be just as abusive as the rapist and not take no for an answer when she got a hold of the sealed adoption file.
I know she’s a controversial figure, but dysfunctional families like hers DO exist. Nobody ever did anything wrong; past history is always whitewashed if it’s talked about at all. Skeletons die with relatives.
She grew up in a strict, abusive household with a mother who tried to give her some kind of life outside of the smacks, molestations, constant screaming, chaos, noise, and fear. She discovered that as long as she kept the family tradition of keeping silent about her home life, she was popular. Until she befriended the wrong guy. Over 18 months he abused and raped her repeatedly, ending up with an unwanted pregnancy. Little did she know that 30 years after giving the child up, the child would be just as abusive as the rapist and not take no for an answer when she got a hold of the sealed adoption file.
August 19, 2016
If you can't handle the truth about abuse and how acceptable it was to females in the 1950's and 1960's and earlier then this book is not for you.
If however, you want deeper insight and to know that you are not alone - that you weren't "emotional", "sensitive" or just a downright whiner then run, don't walk and get this book.
the Insight that this author has and the intelligent, caring way she expresses the facets of abuse is uplifting to me, one who has lived through the abuse of previous decades.
If however, you want deeper insight and to know that you are not alone - that you weren't "emotional", "sensitive" or just a downright whiner then run, don't walk and get this book.
the Insight that this author has and the intelligent, caring way she expresses the facets of abuse is uplifting to me, one who has lived through the abuse of previous decades.
July 20, 2013
It had a strong beginning, a compelling middle, and a convoluted ending. More of a non-ending. Which I understand, but it just didn't really sit well with me.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews