Catherine is a dream come true for her parents. Their first born child is their most precious gift. The love and joy they feel for her is obvious to everyone who knows them. When tragedy unexpectedly hits, Catherine's world is turned upside down and the course of her life is forever changed. In this heartbreakingly powerful memoir, Catherine goes back to where it all began. Following the tragic death of one of her parents at the age of three, she is sent to live with an Aunt and Uncle. This is where the cycle of her abuse begins. As she makes her way in the world, the sexual violation she endured at the hands of her uncle shapes her and how she sees herself. This is her journey of self-discovery - a reframing of the negative perceptions of who she is and an education in loving and accepting herself, regardless of the scars from her past. When devastating news about the beloved cousin she loves as a brother comes to the surface, the scars of her past are reopened. The memories of the abuse her uncle put her through come rushing back so powerfully that she is not sure she can survive this time. To save herself Catherine must face once and for all the demons of her past. She bravely exposes her complete self in this gut-wrenching journey of healing as she finally faces the torment she had worked so hard to bury. Scars among Us talks about what many victims are afraid to talk out loud about. There is a taboo of shame deeply woven into the emotions of many victims of rape. This book attempts to diffuse the shame and talk honestly and openly about the matter. the travesty of sexual abuse impacts not only the victim but all who are involved, including their family, and the family of the perpetrators. This is a book about hope, speaking out and normalizing the pain, extinguishing the shame and stigma of sexual abuse once and for all.
