UNITED STATES
The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing
Virginia Jones
She styles herself a princess. It is the positive self talk she struggles to use to heal herself and propel herself forward to a better life.
Probably it is her way of trying to answer the words she heard from those who should have loved her from birth.
Princess was not only abused by those who actually beat her physically, but also by members of her community and church who judged her and blamed her and sided with the men who abused her.
Perhaps because of this she talks hesitantly about the past and not at all about some events and memories.
Like so many survivors sometimes all she can say is, “I was abused.”
The abuse started early. She was not as a wanted child. She was reminded of this over and over in her life.
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