Press Release Summary: Author Leigh Thomas offers hope and awareness during sexual assault and rape awareness month
Press Release Body: Shortly after my high school graduation I went to work in a collection agency for a man, named Ron, who the District Attorney would later tell me was the Al Capone of the small mid-western town in which I lived. He was rarely in the office, but one afternoon when my sister stopped by to bring something to me, he arrived. He didn\'t like her being there and pulled his jacket back enough to reveal the holster and gun lodged at his side. This was enough to scare my sister and when he told her to leave -- he didn\'t have to say it twice. Remember I was only 17 at the time, and OK. OK, OK.naïve.so when I questioned him about the gun and he said he sometimes had to serve papers and that it was perfectly legal.yes, I believed him. Two weeks later, on a Friday, I was waiting for my paycheck. He came in, in a surly mood. I asked him for my check and he said there wouldn\'t be any that week -- unless I wanted to earn it. OK, you know me by now, however what you don\'t know is the pitch and anger in my voice when I asked him what he was talking about because I had earned it, I had been there all week. He said that wasn\'t what he had in mind. Seems he owned a bordello across town and he thought I would be the perfect addition. Only thing was, he wanted to sample the merchandise first. He grabbed me around the waist and picked me up like a rag doll -- and headed for the back of the office, unlocked a door and walked into what turned out to be an apartment. Shrieking, did I mention, shrieking? I was shrieking so loudly, I couldn\'t hear myself, scream. He pulled THAT gun and pointed it at ME. You may not have realized it was a remote stand-alone building and no one was going to hear me scream no matter how loud I was. It was in the apartment in the back, that I was to endure not the first, but my second rape and it happened at gun-point. And to think, I had the state employment agency to thank for this fascinating position.no pun intended. I learned something during the rape -- a way of tuning out that was to help me in many instances in years to come. I learned that I could handle anything for fifteen minutes. I learned that I could stay calm and do a little sing-song in my head that allowed me to survive what I was going through. Of course, if it turned out to be longer than fifteen minutes, I simply restated to myself as many times as necessary, I can handle anything for fifteen minutes.\" At the same time I learned it was time to look for a new job. I also learned the act of rape can take a lot from you -- such as your self-esteem, your trust in another human being and yourself. What can't be taken from you unless you give it, is your self-respect and your sense of humor. With a lot of patience and hard work, you can rebuild your self-esteem and trust and stop second-guessing yourself. With your self-respect and sense of humor you can walk through hell and not let them see you sweat. April is Rape/Sexual Assault Awareness Month so that means it's time to start talking and who better for the job than me. Date rape or being raped by a stranger is a brutal act no one wants to have happen to them or anyone else they may know. If it should happen would you know what to do...I didn't. As the author of a tongue in cheek, self-help book, "An Ordinary Journey"...A User's Guide to Healing from SEX, DRUGS, ROCK 'n ROLL and ATTEMPTED MURDER, nominated for two book awards, I tell everyone once I started talking about abuse I haven't been able to shut up...so let's get the conversation started. ###
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2022
