Never Ever Give Up Hope: Living in a World of Sexual Secrets

Monday, August 19, 2019

Living in a World of Sexual Secrets

Patricia Eagle was thirteen when the sexual relationship with her father - a relationship that began when she was four years old -- ended. Patricia's journey is one of courage and hope as she finds the strength to see what was unseeable - and finally speaks the unspeakable to help herself and others.

For Patricia, shame became too great a burden. Not speaking up added to that weight. Sexual abuse is so prevalent - so many abused children, so many perpetrators injured in some way that leads them to inflict injury - and all this in our big world of secrets. How can anyone get help when we don't talk about this? Patricia decided to step into that pool of courageous survivors who have told their story. She believes that continuing to stay silent would have killed her.

In Patricia's interview, she addresses the questions many people have regarding the sexual abuse of children.

Have attitudes about addressing childhood sexual abuse changed? What can we do to erase

the stigmas about openly discussing these issues?

How can we protect children from sexual abuse? Are there signs to watch out for?

How can our culture help perpetrators understand the harm they cause and get the

help they need?

Childhood sexual abuse survivors are at a greater risk of PTSD, depression and other mental health issues.

Patricia Eagle’s extraordinary memoir, ‘Being Mean,’ is a testament to the power of the human spirit to prevail over childhood sexual trauma, heal itself in the act of truth-telling, and emerge from the depths of confusion with survivor’s wisdom and an open, generous heart. Eagle’s humor, candor, and determination to bring compassionate understanding to the darkest of crimes separates this book from the majority of abuse memoirs; so does her spirited refusal to sacrifice sexual freedom and pleasure to the fire of childhood incest.

Daring, beautifully written, and filled with unforgettable moments, ‘Being Mean’ is one brave woman’s story of soul retrieval and finding her way through the mysteries of love.