In my case and, as I imagine, in many cases of abuse, I was failed by people who loved me. They didn’t know how to be, or didn’t want to be, responsible. Not speaking about it created a subconscious shame and embarrassment deep within me about what I went through. Why wasn’t I worthy of being saved? For a long time I kept it in; I didn’t want to make this part of my story. It was too dark; it made people feel badly. But not acknowledging my trauma took away my triumph. I survived. I want to make surviving the abuse part of my story. I want to wear my former shame with pride.
