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Napierville : The journey of a "Sporie" from sexual abuse to healing and flourishing
The Journey Of A "Sporie" From Sexual Abuse To Healing And FlourishingA heart-wrenching true story of childhood sexual abuse - the enduring guilt, shame, hopelessness, and anger that occurs because of it - and the palpable relief of healing and recovery. Napierville guides you through the childhood of Zelna, a sporie - or railway child - as she grows up in Napierville, South Africa. This story reveals the appalling sexual assaults that Zelna suffered at the hands of family, friends of the family, neighbors, and boyfriends, beginning when she was only four years old and continuing into her teens.Taking place in the ’70s and ’80s, Napierville shares the lasting effects of sexual abuse and how it was an almost accepted part of life in that time period. In her heartbreaking memoir, Zelna Oberholster aims to give a voice to the voiceless and empower victims to speak about what they’ve gone through to facilitate their own healing journeys. A gut-wrenching true story of childhood sexual assault and how its lasting effects influenced the author's life.Follow along and discover the often hidden signs of sexual abuse, as well as how Zelna went about healing from it.Learn how even after traumatic events unfold, you can still heal, grow, and be a positive force in many people’s lives.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 24, 2017
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 28, 2022
This is a very candid and open story. I don't read many stories where the survivors of sexual abuse describe the sexual assaults in detail. For obvious reasons. Not all survivors are comfortable doing that or want to relive the abuse with writing about it.
But in this case it makes the story more intense and deeply felt. Abusers are very manipulative, and I really can see why it is so difficult to break free from the shackles of those manipulations. Even years afterward.
In some way I can relate too. I wasn't a victim of sexual abuse, but I was bullied in school and have a lot of negative experiences. Mostly with my family. In some way, they bullied me, too. Especially emotionally. For example, they told me that no one want to be with me. I'm too strange, I have to lose weight, I will never make it without their help, and so on. Generally, I had no one to talk to and no support. So, I know how it effected me. Especially my self-esteem and self-worth. And even if my bullying experiences were years ago, I still struggle with that. Sure, I know it isn't true. But you can't just forget about that. You just learn to live with it.
In my case, I still search for ways to overcome my problems and find my way. That's why I read a lot of those stories, because I have realized that even though the cause of our traumas are different, the effects are similar. And some advices and pearls of wisdom are helpful to me.
So, I have huge respect for those survivors. And I'm glad the author herself found happiness.
The only negative point I have with the book itself is the formatting. On my Kindle the words are overlapping and narrow, that it is hard to read the sentences.
But in this case it makes the story more intense and deeply felt. Abusers are very manipulative, and I really can see why it is so difficult to break free from the shackles of those manipulations. Even years afterward.
In some way I can relate too. I wasn't a victim of sexual abuse, but I was bullied in school and have a lot of negative experiences. Mostly with my family. In some way, they bullied me, too. Especially emotionally. For example, they told me that no one want to be with me. I'm too strange, I have to lose weight, I will never make it without their help, and so on. Generally, I had no one to talk to and no support. So, I know how it effected me. Especially my self-esteem and self-worth. And even if my bullying experiences were years ago, I still struggle with that. Sure, I know it isn't true. But you can't just forget about that. You just learn to live with it.
In my case, I still search for ways to overcome my problems and find my way. That's why I read a lot of those stories, because I have realized that even though the cause of our traumas are different, the effects are similar. And some advices and pearls of wisdom are helpful to me.
So, I have huge respect for those survivors. And I'm glad the author herself found happiness.
The only negative point I have with the book itself is the formatting. On my Kindle the words are overlapping and narrow, that it is hard to read the sentences.
Displaying 1 of 1 review