I stared into his eyes for a minute, and then I held out my hand.
AFTERWARD
When I first started writing this book, I didn’t intend for it to become so serious. Normally, I try to keep the Lizzie stories lighthearted. But the further I got into the story, the more I realized it was a story that needed to be told.
According to the website, www.rainn.org, on average, there are 293,066 victims (age 12 and older) who are victims of rape and sexual assaults each year. That’s one sexual assault every 107 seconds. 44% of the victims are under the age of 18. 80% are under 30.
68% of sexual assaults are never reported. Even worse, 98% of rapists will never spend a day in jail or prison.
I have a very good friend who is a survivor of sexual assault, and she contributed greatly to this story. Every reaction that Lizzie has, her family and friends have, are spot on, as she said to me several times. I had to remember to tell her when I had sent her a particularly difficult scene, so it wouldn’t catch her offguard. I could not have done this without her. By accident, I learned from another friend that she, too, was a survivor, so I asked her to read the story as well. Her response was the same, although she told me that she wished she was as strong as Lizzie was.
That made me stop and think about Lizzie, and her reaction to her attacks. She is a strong woman, very self-reliant, and not prone to asking for help. I believe she is trying very hard to give off the appearance that she is still the same strong woman she has always been, but the cracks in that tough exterior are there. I hope this will give Lizzie a chance to grow in a new way.
Asking for help is a character flaw that I share with Lizzie. I don’t know how many victims of any type of assault are afraid to get help, but please, don’t be afraid to reach out. There are plenty of places to get help. Contact your local police department, your doctor, even your pastor. Go to www.rainn.org, or call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). There is a list of resources there for every state. You are NOT alone.
I hope that Lizzie’s story helps one person.
You are NOT a victim. You ARE a SURVIVOR.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The daughter of a Methodist minister, I’ve spent most of my life in Texas and New Mexico. I graduated from West Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in 2000. Among my many titles, I am a daughter, sister, granddaughter, wife, mother, and writer. I currently live in North Texas with my husband, while my only son lives two states away (empty nester at last!) Death Vetoes the Chairman is my seventh Lizzie book.
I enjoy hearing from you! Follow me on my Twitter page @authorTeresaW, my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/teresaleewatson, my blog, www.myfunnyviewoflife.com, or send me an email at [email protected].
Death Vetoes The Chairman (Lizzie Crenshaw Mysteries Book 7) Page 35
