I was able to participate in a Local Author’s Festival at a local library a couple of Saturdays ago. I was blown away by the experience! So many of my friends showed up to support me, talk with me, and purchase books from me. I was so humbled by the support that people who attended showed me. I’ve never intended on making writing a career, but I certainly got a taste of what it would be like if I was an author. It was wonderful.
But even more so, I got people to start talking more about sexual abuse. Again, all of my friends and co-workers are aware that I’m a survivor. Yet I’ve only shared my story with a few people, but I’m just a small part of a much larger issue. For my books, my goal has always been, and I’m repeating here, to get the conversation going about childhood sexual abuse. I think only until we talk more about what sexual abuse looks like, can we really empower people to prevent it. Our children need to know that it’s alright to tell on an adult. Parents need to understand what grooming relationships look like and also feel like they can stop it. Professionals need to understand what causes predators to go after children and work on techniques to stop it. Survivors need to feel safe and have the opportunities to speak about what happened to them without shame. Abuse only continues when we are silent about it.
I wish I had the answers to how to do all of these things effectively. But what I understand is that when we have a community in which the goal is to eradicate this plague on our humanity, we can accomplish great things.
Harry L. Estes 