The Memory Bird: Survivors of Sexual Abuse

This book is a collection of drawings, personal essays, letters, poems, and journal entries created primarily by women, but also by some men who have recovered or are recovering from the emotional effects of childhood sexual abuse. They write about their experience of abuse by fathers, brothers, other relatives, and people outside the family. The contributors offer a wide range of experiences ranging from the process of remembering and dealing with pain to the use of creative expression as a means to begin healing. The passages reveal anger and shame, full of the struggle to break the silence, and to act to restore oneself. Chapter titles like "The Survivor's Song," "Claiming the Right to Feel Pain," "Can You Hear Me?" and "Learning to Dance," define the emotions and stages many survivors share. A chapter called "You Want a Witness?" consists of recovered memories and helpful comments on False Memory Syndrome. Each chapter has a brief, accessible introduction by the editors.