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About Me

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a real person?
Yes. I'm a real person, with a family, friends, and interests, just like all of the visitors of this site. When I started this site, I was a 28 year old teacher. Now I am a 35 year old mother of two and wife to an amazing man. I am a runner, a cook, and a gardener. We live in New York, close to my parents and brother. Why did you decide to make this site?
After I was raped, I needed to know that I was not alone and that I could heal. Shannon of Welcome to Barbados and Lis of Escaping Hades. helped me heal with their sites. This site is in tribute to them and the wonderful people who post at Pandora's Aquarium. It is important to me to continue the work they began.

Do you really believe it is possible to thrive after rape or sexual abuse?
Yes, I do. It takes hard work, patience, support and time, but it is possible to live a happy and fulfilled life. I think that I do!

I need to talk to someone now!
If you live in the United States, please call RAINN at 1-800-656-HOPE or 1-800-SUICIDE for suicide prevention. I do not have a comprehensive listing of international sexual crisis hotlines, but Befriender's International has a thorough listing of suicide crisis hotlines. When No One Knows Your Pain is a good website if you are feeling depressed or are becoming suicidal. You are very important. This does get hard, but you can get through it and there are people who want to work with you as you do.

Can I email you?
Of course! My email is jes@survivingtothriving.org. That being said, this email address is deluged with SPAM, so the very best way to get in touch with me is by registering at Pandora's Aquarium and sending me a private message.

I need to talk to other survivors!
If you want to talk to people face-to-face, I hope you'll consider joining a support group in your area, or forming your own. There are also places you can connect online. For a big support group, try the Pandora's Aquarium. In addition, you can visit the chat room, which you can also access by registering at Pandora's Aquarium.

Can I link to you?
Of course! You can find banners here. If you'd like a reciprocal link, fill out the form here.

Can I include some of the writing on your site on my own?
Please link to me instead. I've worked awfully hard on this site! You can link to particular pages if you'd like.

Are you available to talk to/be interviewed for my project?
Usually, yes. Register at Pandora's Aquarium, send me a private message, and I'll let you know.

Surviving to Thriving: A site for survivors of sexual violence
Return to survivingtothriving.org