Tolson 4 TEARS Cheers "An End to Silence" Jerome Elam

I saw these stats for Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story on Amazon for the Kindle version:

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• #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Death & Grief > Suicide
• #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Abuse & Self Defense > Rape
• #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Schizophrenia

These stats are not bragging rights. Nor do they translate to a financial windfall. Fantasy literature and romance novels are more popular than the reality of social problems. I interpret these statistics to show me that people are reading about historically stigmatized topics, such as rape, suicide, and mental illness. Reading leads to education, enlightenment, and empowerment to reduce the taboos!


My mission the Project 4 TEARS: Telling Everyone About Rape & Suicide to:

• comfort victims by sharing my story
• confront violence by breaking the silence
• challenge society via information and action

Besides speaking engagements and book discussions, the way I can get these messages across is through my memoir Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story. The Amazon Kindle statistics inform me that the mission is being fulfilled.

I received this note indicating that other survivors understand the importance of sharing our stories; we participate in the collective consciousness of healing.

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•  "Lynn, Thank you for having the courage to share your story with the world. I know from personal experience, writing about the tragedy of child sex abuse is both a difficult and rewarding endeavor. I have been humbled by the response to my articles and the bravery of those who have shared their story of abuse with me. The pain of abuse in our lives may never disappear but it fades to a whisper with the love and support of those who truly care about us. Warmest Regards, Jerome Elam"
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• I appreciate this feedback. Not only does @JeromeElam share his personal experience, he also uses a professional venue to write about prevention and intervention for child abuse. You can find his articles at Washington Times: Communities His blog An End To Silence is full of information. Jerome says, "Welcome to my blog! I would like to create an open forum for the discussion of childhood sexual abuse and a finding a way to end the tragedy of stolen childhoods." 

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• Cheers to the community of advocates who are striving to remove stigmas and improve conditions for our children!