Surviving to Thriving: Tori Amos and her influence on rape and sexual abuse survivors

Surviving to Thriving: Tori Amos' impact on rape and sexual abuse survivors

Two months after my rape, I participated in Noboko's project, Faces of Sexual Assault. It was there that I met another survivor participating in the project. When I asked her what had inspired her to heal, she told me that it was the music of Tori Amos, who is a rape survivor. I didn't think much of it until a month later, when I was at a music store and decided to buy it. Within moments of putting "Little Earthquakes" which contains many of the songs she wrote about healing into my CD player, I was crying, crying wonderful healing tears. With her music, Tori had made me feel so much less alone. As I write, I am listening to her "Precious Things." Her strong message of survival and healing has been an inspiration and guiding light for so many of us.

Tori's Story

At the age of 22, Tori was raped by a fan in 1984 when she offered to give him a ride home after a performance. This man held her hostage and raped and tortured her for hours. The rape left Tori silent for many years until she saw "Thelma and Louise" in a movie theater, which triggered an emotional response in her, reminding her of her own rape. It was then that she began to heal. Within hours, she had written "Me and A Gun, an a cappela song that gives a chilling account of her rape. Tori sings this song at almost every performance.

The song had and continues to have a profound impact on survivors of sexual violence, helping them find the courage to acknowledge the hurt and heal from it. Tori realized that she was ill-equipped to to talk to each survivor, all of whom needed someone to speak with. As a result, she founded RAINN, the United States' only free, confidential and nationwide hotline for the survivors of sexual violence in crisis. Tori's impact has been felt by so many of us.

Tori has spoken publicly about her rape, healing and speaking out. You can find quotes here.

Me and A Gun -Tori Amos

5 am friday morning thursday night far from sleep
i'm still up and driving can't go home obviously
so i just change direction cause they'll soon know where i live and i wanna live

got a full tank and some chips
it was me and a gun and a man on my back
and i sang holy holy as he buttoned down his pants
you can laugh it's kinda funny the things you think at times
like these like i haven't seen barbados so i must get out of this
me and a gun and a man on my back
but i haven't seen barbados so i must get out of this
yes i wore a slinky red thing does that mean i should spread
for you your friends your father mr. ed
and i know what this means
me and jesus a few years back used to hang
and he said "it's your choice babe,
just remember i don't think you'll be back in three days time so you choose well"
tell me what's right
is my right to be on my stomach in fred's seville
and do you know carolina where the biscuits are soft and sweet
these things go through your head when there's a man on your back
and you're pushed flat on your stomach it's not a classic cadillac

Visit Tori sites:
Stuff To An extensive collection of interviews with Tori
Welcome to Barbados Shannon's Tori Amos inspired site for survivors of sexual violence.
Mikewhy's site dedicated to Tori, The Dent
Laura's Tori survivor site, I Sang Holy Holy

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