“An Unimaginable Act” is the third book by Erin Merryn that highlights the strength and courage of a young girl’s heart
As I read the final paragraph of Erin Merryn’s
third book “An Unimaginable Act” I wept openly at the overwhelming pain forced
upon the heart of such a young girl. Molested by a friend’s uncle at a
sleepover and then later by her cousin, Erin Merryn struggled within a prison
of silence constructed by her abusers. In the world today, one in four girls
and one in six boys are victims of child sexual abuse. There are over forty-two
million survivors of child sexual abuse in the world today. According to a
Centers for Disease Control study, the lifetime costs for the victims of child
sexual abuse reported in one year is $124 billion. Jerry Sandusky has shown
that pedophiles are among us cloaked in respectability. The National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children reports that there are currently 500,000
registered sex offenders in the United States, and typically 100,000 of those
are unaccounted for. Other pedophiles are not on records or in databases.
Erin Merryn remembers the suffering she endured
from being molested; “I would often isolate myself, wanting to be alone so
nobody could see just how broken I was” Erin says. Her only solace became a
small journal where Erin painfully wrote of her daily struggle with the
depression and heartache that shrouded her. For many years Erin said nothing as
her grades slowly spiraled downward and her self-imposed isolation became
absolute. Then one day the sleeping giant of a young girl’s courage would
shatter the shackles of silence. “One day my sister confided in me that our
cousin had begun molesting her and I felt something rise up inside me that
eclipsed the bottomless well of fear that had ransomed my silence”, Erin
remembers. It was then she felt the courage that lay hidden for so long consume
every fiber of her body and as her voice shook, she finally confided in her
parents the secret pain she had locked away so deep inside her.
When questioned by police, Erin’s cousin
confessed to molesting her and was sentenced to seven years probation and 1000
hours of community service. On average, those convicted of sexually abusing a
child serve less than a year of jail time and 32% to 46% serve no jail time at
all. The friend’s uncle who molested Erin during a sleepover refused to
cooperate with police and due to a lack of evidence, could not be prosecuted.
Erin’s family had chosen not to put her sister and her through the ordeal of a
trial and allowed her cousin to confess and accept the punishment he was given.
What Erin and her family couldn’t fathom was the reaction they would receive
from the rest of their family. “ Our relatives, who supported our cousin after
he confessed ostracized us. It was too difficult for them to believe that a
family member could do something so heinous”, Erin remembers. This is often the
case and as a survivor of child abuse, I have also experienced the isolation
that accompanies breaking the silence of child abuse. Research studies have
shown that on the average every victim of child abuse must tell an average of
seven adults before they are believed. A truly shocking statistic, but one that
I will confirm from personal experience as each of the teachers and adults I
told dismissed my claims as an over active imagination. One of the teachers I
confessed to went on to molest me for a number of years.
During her senior year in high school Erin
Merryn came up with the idea to turn the journal she had kept as a young girl
into a book. It was from her journal that in 2005 the book “Stolen Innocence” was published. Using her newfound
celebrity Erin began to work on the creation and implementation of “Erin’s
law,” mandating child abuse education from kindergarten through eighth grade. Erin
Merryn has succeeded in passing Erin’s law in eight states, and fourteen states
are introducing the law in 2013-2014. In 2009, Erin followed up her first book
“Stolen Innocence” with her second book, “Living for Today.”
In her third book
Erin Merryn delves even deeper into her personal struggles, not only child
abuse but with a life threatening condition discovered by a random set of
events. She also bravely discusses being diagnosed with a learning disability
during her junior year of high school after the cruelty of a math teacher sent
her already low self-esteem spiraling downward. She remembers the day in her
Algebra 2 class when her already fragile heart would be broken with just a few
words. “Erin, do you plan to go to
college?” her teacher asked. “Surprised at her unexpected query I responded
with a simple yes”,Erin remembers. “You need to rethink your plans because you will never get
into college. Don’t waste your time applying”,the teacher responded. Erin was devastated and it was
only through the steadfast advocacy of her mother that Erin regained her
confidence and went on to earn a master’s degree in social work from Aurora
University.
Erin Merryn has faced
many insurmountable obstacles in her life and has overcome them with unrelenting
courage, support from her family and faith in God. “An Unimaginable Act” is an
inspirational journey into the heart of a young woman who faced adversity and
rose above it to be a champion for innocent children. Erin Merryn’s third book
is a powerful reminder of what the strength of family and faith in God can achieve and is a
must read for anyone who has lost their belief in the power of hope.
Regards,
Jerome Elam
Always remember that you are never alone and that others have walked the healing path before you and are here to lift you up! Also remember that as survivors and victims, alone we may be strong but together we are unbeatable!
Regards,
Jerome Elam
Jerome Elam
Staff Writer and Columnist for Communities Digital News
http;//www.commdiginews.com
Read my column here:
A Heart Without Compromise; Advocating for Children:
http://www.commdiginews.com/column/a-heart-without-compromise-advocating-for-children-2/
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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but
because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Always remember that you are never alone and that others have walked the
healing path before you and are here to lift you up! Also remember that
as survivors and victims, alone we may be strong but together we are
unbeatable!
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