The Road to Becoming a Survivor by R. R. Hayden
At 25 years old, River Hayden has experienced the low’s of life that few will ever see. A casualty of her family’s circumstances, of past boyfriends, of the hand that the universe dealt her, this auto-biography is Hayden’s chance at seeing her days as a victim end. Follow her story and how she was able…
At 25 years old, River Hayden has experienced the low’s of life that few will ever see. A casualty of her family’s circumstances, of past boyfriends, of the hand that the universe dealt her, this auto-biography is Hayden’s chance at seeing her days as a victim end. Follow her story and how she was able to overcome her past, to pick up the pieces and find the life she has always wanted.
As part of our commitment to our readers, we should note that this story does contain content regarding sexual assault, abuse, drugs, and addiction. Trigger warnings apply.
“A heartbreaking but also awakening, touching, and inspiring read.”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Nadia Gerassimenko
The Road to Becoming a Survivor is a raw and confessional autobiography of a sexual assault victim, who, chapter-by-chapter, not in any specific order, gradually divulges bits and pieces of her sexual assault instances and prolonged sexual abuse, her Dissociative Identity Disorder and Depression, her relationship dynamics, her support system. Above all, it’s about her choice to become a survivor, her acceptance of herself just the way she is, and her determination to triumph over her detrimental behaviors one step at a time.
The autobiography is read like a confessional diary. The author had chosen to write her story not in one shot, but by taking breaks when needed for her sanity and wellbeing and when important events had taken place in her life. At first, she is tentative and restrained in her revelations. Who can blame her? It’s difficult to share her most secretive and painful past with the world. But once she braves it out, she is uninhibited with the details she can remember—one of her defense mechanisms being to block out some of her recollections—because there is a higher purpose to her life story: to help others help themselves.
Although River Hayden doesn’t give advice to sexual assault or sexual abuse victims on how to overcome their ill-fated traumas per se—as this is something individual for each person—she does tell the readers what she did and keeps doing in order to heal her physical and emotional wounds, to grow as a whole adult, and to nurture healthy relationships. She admits to make mistakes even now, but she accepts the fact that she is only human for slipping from time to time. In spite of everything, she keeps on going forward. All in all, this has been a tremendously heartbreaking but also awakening, touching, and inspiring read.
About the Author
A Michigan native, River is a new author who has recently become part of the published ranks. She is looking to expand her expertise and write more teen novels than just nonfiction works, but is open to anything and is happy to be able to pursue her passion. A survivor of sexual assault, River currently has an autobiography, titled The Road to Becoming a Survivorpublished by ScribbCrib, available to read with, hopefully, many more books to come.