Silence Broken: Moving from a Loss of Innocence to a World of Healing and Love

Written by Sara O’Meara & Yvonne Fedderson

Founders of Childhelp

After witnessing his parents kill his sister, a little boy became totally silent. He was placed in 15 different foster homes before being sent to the Childhelp USA village. No matter how hard they tried, the staff was unable to get the little boy to speak. Finally, the man in charge of the village’s animal therapy program took the little boy to the barn and told him that a pony named Chocolate was now his responsibility. Every day, the little boy ran to the barn to take care of Chocolate. On the fifth day, he put his arms around the pony and said, “I love you.” Once his silence had been broken, the boy began to heal. This story is but one from a lifetime of work of two women, Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson.

Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson are the founders of Childhelp®, the oldest and largest US nonprofit dedicated to child abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment. They have received a National Charity Award for Lifetime Achievement and over 50 other awards for their work, including recognition from Queen Elizabeth II and His Holiness the Pope. This is their first book about their experience bringing love, hope, and self-esteem to abused and neglected children worldwide. In 2006, a TV movie based on this book was made, called For the Love of a Child. Click here to order the book.

Pure In Heart: A Memoir of Overcoming Abuse and Passing Jenna’s Law

Written by Jenna Quinn

To contact Jenna:
Webpage: www.JennaQuinn.org
Facebook: Jenna’s Law
Twitter: @Jennas_Law

Jenna Quinn’s firsthand account of the harsh realities of sexual abuse and the truth of its effects have captivated audiences and has the power to forever change the way society views abuse and its prevention. In this family-friendly, faith-based book, Jenna recounts how she was groomed, how she finally came to speak out, and how her experiences have shaped her dedication to prevention and justice ever since.

Jenna Quinn was seventeen years old when she spoke out publicly for the first time as a survivor of sexual abuse and has dedicated the last twelve years of her life to preventing sexual abuse. With a master’s degree in communication studies, she enjoys personally connecting with survivors and building rapport with audiences, young and old. At the age of twenty, Jenna moved into the political system and reached out to Texas legislators about the need for schools to adopt age-appropriate curriculum on child sexual abuse. In 2009, Jenna’s Law passed the Texas State Senate unanimously, making it the first child sexual abuse prevention education law in the United States named after a survivor. In 2011, Jenna’s Law was expanded to reach additional public institutions and addresses both sexual abuse and other forms of maltreatment. Jenna is a sought-after speaker and shares her message of hope to audiences all across the country. As a former educator, she is committed to the cause of preventing child abuse, raising awareness through education, and increasing awareness of God’s presence, love, and grace. She has a passion for justice and social change to make the world a safer place for children. As an inspirational speaker she is transparent about her experience with sexual abuse, how it has impacted her life and her family, and her transforming journey to healing. Click here to order the book.

Life with My Idiot Family:
A True Story of Survival, Courage and Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse

Written by Kathy & Gary Picard

Author of I love you so much that… – Found here

You can contact her at kathychildadvocate@gmail.com.

This book is, first, for survivors so they know that what happened to them doesn’t have to control them for life; second, for people who support survivors, because survivors need to know that the people they care about, care about them; and, third, for professionals who work with survivors, to help them get a better understanding of what happens to people when they are abused.

When seven-year-old Kathy’s daddy started paying “special” attention to her, she felt “special” in turn. Her daddy loved her… what could be better than that? When she realized it was not right and spoke up, she was labeled a liar and troublemaker. But she persisted, and nine years later was able to finally file suit against her abuser. Kathy is inspirational proof that good people can win, and that speaking out can help make this world a better place to live. Since 2003, she has worked tirelessly to raise public awareness about the prevalence and realities of childhood sexual abuse. Using her own life’s experience as a platform, she speaks to public, private and political audiences as part of her mission to expose childhood sexual abuse for the “dirty little secret” it continues to be, and to educate and inform all of us about how we can become a part of the solution. For her consistent and concerted efforts towards raising awareness, and for being an active and vocal advocate in the successful reform of the Massachusetts Statute of Limitations laws regarding sex crimes against children, she was awarded the Unsung Heroine Award, the William Pynchon Award, and the Zonta International Founder’s Day Award. Click here to order the book.

Living on the Other Side of Fear

Written by Hilda Villaverde

You can contact her at hildavillaverde@gmail.com

In this book, Hilda Villaverde tells the story of how she escaped abuse, deficiency, and fear in a small Arizona mining town, to become a successful mother, wife, entrepreneur, teacher, public speaker, author, and ordained minister. It’s a universal story of two emotions that rule our lives – fear and love. It is also the story of one woman’s remarkable journey from knowing only fear to accepting only love.

Dr. Hilda Villaverde is a business owner, hairstylist, public speaker, ordained minister and the author of ten published books, four of which she co-authored in the Living Brave Series, stories that inspire. Hilda’s career in the beauty industry as a successful business owner and respected stylist spans five decades. She is the owner of Pluma Designs, a boutique salon studio in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hilda earned her doctorate in religious studies with a minor in pastoral counseling from Emerson Institute at the age of fifty-five. In her books and public speaking, Hilda offers her personal experiences with common sense perspective and humor to encourage women to embrace their fears, take risks, develop an abundant attitude and discover their spiritual purpose. Hilda incorporates her Mexican Yaqui Indian heritage and her love and respect for people to teach that we are one in spirit, one in thought, and one in all relationships, with a responsibility for one another. We must live brave and finish strong. Click here to order the book.