A. Sidney Johnson III, President & CEO
Terry Wise’s book Waking Up is a breathtakingly honest account of one woman’s spiral into depression and her long, difficult recovery. Uniquely told through the details of her therapy sessions, Terry’s painful process to recover her self revealed a secret that she had suppressed for decades…that she had been sexually abused as a child.
Although child sexual abuse is not the main focus of Terry’s book, it is the main focus of her story. It is a focus that, hidden for so many years, did much more damage to her adulthood and her self-worth than she ever would have thought.
While Terry’s story is unique, the hidden demons she had to face in order to heal are ones that are shared by many, many unfortunate individuals. It is a true testament to the fact that child abuse does not end when the touching stops…it haunts a child for the rest of his or her life.
I applaud Terry’s bravery in sharing her story with the world. I hope that her courage will inspire others to confront their hidden demons as well as raise awareness of what can happen to our nation’s children.
With everyone’s help, we can prevent Terry’s story from being repeated.
A. Sidney Johnson III, President and CEO
Prevent Child Abuse America
