Tags
Abuse, Anger, Assault, Depression, Fear, Healing, Judith's story, Netherlands, Post-traumatic stress, Proposition 8, PTSD, Rage, Recovery, Trauma, Trust, Violence
I’m both in awe and kinda in mourning after reading Judith’s story.
**Note: If you’re in any way feeling fragile or likely to be triggered by reading of extreme violence and/or viewing VERY graphic photos, it’s best not to click on the above link**
Judith recently left a comment on one of my earlier posts so I checked out the Willothewisp blog that she and her wife run, (Prop 8 supporters take note: gay marriage has been legal in the Netherlands for years!) and from there found the link to her horrific, utterly terrifying story of sexual and physical assault.
As if the assault wasn’t bad enough, Judith went through months and months of recovery, surgery and rehabilitation that sounds like ongoing torture. Add living with post-traumatic stress, depression and the inability to move or talk for the longest time… and we’re talking about a truly serious survivor.
It’s a rough read, very emotional and heartbreaking. Once again – don’t read her story unless you’re in a stable frame of mind.
There’s ten chapters to date, and the story isn’t fully told yet. And it’s taken me a while to make my way through each one.
Judith’s lucky to be alive, although given what she went through I’m sure she didn’t feel lucky for the longest time. Her body is scarred, she lost her hearing, and she had to learn to speak and walk again.
Any one of these issues would be tough enough to handle. But Judith has triumphed through them all.
More than that – she’s married and she and her wife have three children. She has made a life despite what she’s been through. Through her words, I sense a very determined lady!
I can’t wait to read more and see how it was she made it to the life she now leads. I’m sure the past is still not 100% buried, but she is not cowering in the corner away from the world.
She’s a mother and a writer and living her life bravely.
So Judith, here’s to you. Much respect.
~Svasti
Svasti: A Journey From Assault To Wholeness 
So much respect and love for this amazing, courageous and utterly human soul.
I can’t fathom the monster that did this. There is no word for this thing.
I wonder if he was caught.
And I doubt he suffered half as much as Judith did.
My.. she was only 20 when all those things happened to her
I wonder if the one who’ve done them to her was caught
Good thing she has a wife and children. There are so many handicapped people who don’t have any support
Wow–I am blown away by her story. One of the most amazing things about the blogosphere is connecting with so many different people on so many different levels. What a testament to courage, survival and strength she is (as you are also, my dear).
Thanks for passing along Judith’s site to all of us–
Melinda
@Amanda – Yes, her suffering was pretty awful. As she recently told me (on Blog Catalog), mentally the hospital stay and recovery was actually far worse than the attack itself! I’m not sure yet what happened to her attacker, she hasn’t gotten that far in the story yet I guess.
@aluajala – Yes, so young. But perhaps if she had been older, she wouldn’t have had the same resilience! Sadly, it seems that early last year she went through more trauma when a tourist pushed her over and caused further damage to her head, for which she’s had to have more surgery, and its affected her sight. But still, she’s keeping on. Amazing!
@Melinda – I know! I really love that aspect of connecting with others that you’d never meet otherwise. Melinda, you’re also a testament to courage, survival and strength and its brilliant that we get to read each other’s stories!
*speechless with tears on my cheek*
@Shiv – Yeah. I’ve since found out a little more about her story. She’s one tough surivor, no doubt about it.