DARKNESS TAUNTS
This is a true story of horrific abuse at the hands of a trusted family member and friends.  Whilst the author is still alive, in essence she died inside when this true account occurred. This is a cry for help so that other innocent children do not have to suffer hell on earth and that those in Government will recognise the on-going evidence of it in society and act before we destroy ourselves! Darashee is not the author’s real name. She has written under a pen name to protect innocent members of her family.	Store Price: $18.95 Online Price: $17.95  ISBN: 1 920699 18 X Format: Paperback Number of pages: 185 Genre: Non fiction
Author: Darashee Imprint: Zeus Publisher: Zeus Publications Date Published: 2002 Language: English

A message from the author:

Audience: fellow survivors, social workers.

My reasons for writing this book:

            Society does not allow us to talk about child abuse issues. It is still seen as a taboo. Over half of our society has been abused as a child in some way, yet, they do not want to talk about it, and they do not seem to want to help stop it. 

            As a society, we concern ourselves with rehabilitation of convicted felons, and the legal system to stop adult crime. Yet, in research papers into deviant behaviour it shows that the ideology of mental illness is behind most crimes, and more often than not, child abuse causes mental illness. Why is it then, that research funds and government initiatives are not concerning themselves with child abuse prevention? It is time to take a stand and stand up for the rights of children. Time to stand up and say we will not be silenced anymore. 

            People need to be able to and be given the right to talk about their experiences. Not just, talk about the abuse, but the feelings that relate to it. Their thoughts, fears and misconceptions of the impact of the abuse. 

            My way of standing up and breaking the silence is by sharing my story, my thoughts and my expressions with people. Healing and overcoming the trauma of the abuse is a hard and long journey, but it is achievable, and it is worth it. it is worth facing the pain to enable us to live life to the fullest. 

            By writing this, I am starting on my journey of healing, and I am allowing people to acknowledge that what they feel is okay. That they are allowed to feel it. There is no set of emotions that we must feel or experience when healing. It is a very personal thing. Each person’s experience was different, and, no abuse is worse than other forms. All abuse is wrong, and all abuse is damaging. Working through the trauma in your own way is the only way to heal. 

            For some people, their faith in God is their strength, and he heals the pain and memories. For some, it is working through the emotions experienced with the abuse, without being re-traumatised. Healing for some people may be through self-expression in art, in poetry, in computers; there are many ways to heal one’s inner self. Just need to find what works for you. It may be; individual counselling, group therapy, talking with a friend, painting the hurt away or writing, whatever works for you. 

            To stop abuse in the future, and to help future survivors, we must be heard. It must be heard that abuse is wrong. If we stand up for ourselves now, we break that grip that our abusers have had on us. If we believe in ourselves, we take away their power. Then, we can stand together and say: we will not be silenced anymore. Abuse is not acceptable, and it must stop. 

Notes from the author.

When being inspired to write this book, I had to work out part of who I am. This is part of my conclusion: 

            I am a daughter, a sister, a mother, a friend, a lover, a student, a volunteer, a survivor, and a passer-by on the street, a citizen, and a voter - but most importantly, I am me.

            I am passionate, fun loving, out-going, humorous, serious, sensitive and sensual. I am all these things and more...

            I am not afraid to live my life for me, because in the end, who else is there that is an important as me?

            To be able to love another, I must first love me for who I am. To be passionate about life, I must be passionate about living.

            To live life, I need to experience pain, so I can then experience pleasure.

            Here, I am writing a book for other survivors to read, primarily though, it is a book for me. It allows me to see who I am; it allows me to view that part of myself that I keep hidden. This book was written for me, to tell me that my abuse is not who I am. It is part of my past, but not all that I am. In the past, I was not able to feel. The very concept of feeling was unheard of. Now, this book brings out those hidden feelings. The ones that hid in the deepest recesses of my mind until now. This book now tells the reader, me that I am allowed to feel, to experience pleasure, and to live like there is no one else around.

            It gives the reader permission to dance alive as they do in their dreams. To take that risk and ask that person out, and do it like no one else is there...

            It gives the reader permission to let go societal perceived influences on our lives, and live like no one else matters except for ourselves.

            I am the reader of this book, as this is my life. Why don’t you start to write your own book, and give yourself permission to live as well? 

            This book has been divided into several parts, the first, talks about child abuse, mental illness and the impact of society within the family. The second part talks about my life, my story, and me. Third part is filled with poetry, and the fourth with artwork. The poetry and artwork contained herein, was designed and finished by me. It is my way, of expressing my pain. 

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