Women Unsilenced: Our Refusal to Let the Torturer-Traffickers Win

by Linda MacDonald, Jeanne Sarson

Women Unsilenced explores the impact of unthinkable violence committed against women and girls through multiple perspectives—women's recall of life-threatening ordeals of torture, human trafficking, and organized crime, society's failure to recognize and address such crimes, and close examination of how justice, health, political, and social systems perpetuate revictimizing trauma. Written by retired public health nurses who include their own experiences helped give voice and understanding to women who have been silenced. This book discloses their "underground" caring work and offers "kitchen table" research and insights, using women's storytelling on multiple platforms to educate readers on the unimaginable layers of perpetrators' modus operandi of violence, manipulation, and deceit.

Genres: Feminism

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2021

About the author

I was born in Charlottetown, P.E.I, Canada into a family of domestic violence and have worked very hard to free my-Self from the effects of such victimization and trauma. I am married and have three adult children, one son, two daughters and two grandgirls. I have worked as a hospital based nurse, community health nurse and home care coordinator. I am now retired from my nursing career. I love to travel, cook and try different foods, watch movies and documentaries and have a good laugh. I believe very strongly that the United Nations is integral to our evolution as a species. . People ask me how I maintain the energy to do the human rights work of exposing sexualized violence, including non-State torture (NST). My answer is I have known since I was a little girl of three how wrong violence in families is and that no child should be trapped in such suffering. I do this work because I am incensed with the reality of global misogyny and sexualized violence, and because I care about my adult children, grandchildren and the children of the world wanting a better life for them all. Till my last days I plan to continue to stand for the human rights and liberation of women and children to be treated as a persons with respect and dignity and to have NST recognized as a crime and human rights violation in the 21st Century.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visceral and gut wrenching. A necessary and monumental contribution to unearthing the torture suffered by women and children in private families and homes, and an impassioned demand to not look away.

[Cornelia Maier · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a feminist who worked on the law on protection from domestic violence in Kosovo, I am always happy to see new meaningful contributions to the field of violence protection and women's human rights. Linda MacDonald and Jeanne Sarson are two wonderful feminist women's human rights defenders from Canada. They do an excellent job supporting survivors and pushing for better legislation.
In order not to pathologize survivors, they suggest referring and refer to trauma responses as post-traumatic stress response instead of post-traumatic stress "disorder", and I agree whole-heartedly with that approach. It is also great how they suppport survivors in getting free from victim blame and the resulting self-blame (imposed by perpetrators and reinforced by the reactions a society that is, alas, often times far from supportive) and in establishing a good relationship to / with / for Self and in doing the opposite of what perpetrators forced on them.
I hope their book will help their efforts, and I wish them amazing success!

[Margaret Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult read. To hear what these families put these children through. Small towns in the Maritimes and all over the world. Heartbreak, courageous, and strength are just some of the words I can think of.

[Kathy Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most revealing books on the nature of evil that I’ve come across. The focus is sex-torture-trafficking within families. The scope of the work is exceptional and delves deep. It not only reveals the pervasive existence of family networked sex-torture-traffickers — detailed from harrowing accounts by survivors, but it also describes in detail the process and power of attentive, loving care required to heal unspeakable trauma.

Written by two retired Canadian nurses, Jeanne Sarson and Linda MacDonald who ran a women’s crisis centre, this book describes the arduous journey they embarked upon into uncharted territory in order to help a fleeing survivor escape her clandestine, sadistic family. It begins with a phone call in the middle of the night — a cry for help — a woman’s desperate voice catapults human rights activist Jeanne Sarson into an electrified state of attentiveness. The decision at that moment to support — and not abandon — this woman, would transform these two nurses lives and alter their worldview forever.

Society is now more aware that domestic violence is not acceptable, but few people are aware of the horrific physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional torture that is inflicted upon girls within families to strip them of their self-respect while grooming them to be trafficked. Torture techniques described are too graphic to put in this review, but the evidence points to how much these sadistic torturers enjoy destroying women, breaking them, de-humanising them, de-basing them. Victims are trapped, unable to free themselves without fear of ending up in a mental asylum where violence is likely to continue.

Whilst this subculture might feel like something that happens in isolated backwashes of renegade towns, what’s chilling is the realisation that survivors of this heinous activity live in cities all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, western Europe and the UK. And most sickening is the fact that many adult women, wives, and professionals are part of this sadistic cruelty.

The worst news, however, is that lawmakers refuse to pass laws to make family sex-torture-trafficking a crime. Why? Is it because it suits the patriarchy to protect the head of the family rather than the rights of the child? State torture is a crime, yet family sex-torture is not a crime. What do the lawmakers know that we don’t know? Perhaps it’s that these predators are everywhere in the community, functioning within a society through a network of professional roles, such as doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians, police, social workers, nurses, teachers and therapists.

Cognisant of the parameters inherent within the ancient patriarchal system of society — which pathologises women and girls as mentally ill whenever they try to tell their truths about being victimised — the authors took an academic approach to ensure their findings could not be denied. They plowed through avalanches of literature on torture — both state-torture and non-state torture, on war veteran trauma, family abuse trauma, sex-trafficking, and psychiatrist reports on family and childhood violence. They share the realisation that it is now known a family can be the most dangerous place for children, where they face the highest risk of being killed by parents or someone known to them. (Stöckl et al., 2017)

The authors opened dialogues with UN representatives, Amnesty International and WHO. They interviewed WWII POW survivors, as well as a survivor of five Nazi death camps, and it confirmed how important it was to listen to unvoiced atrocities. Harmful realities which are not spoken aloud can delay healing. Listening and remaining present and attentive to the telling was their first step in helping survivors re-integrate ‘Self’.

When survivors are too traumatised to speak, the primary avenue to begin sharing their truth was through their drawings or art. Images are most often the starting point for abused children, and even scribbles and choices of colour can release much pent-up rage. Slowly the brain finds words. And so began their long slow process of defusing the toxic trauma of survivors through a number of therapeutic methods.

Healing interventions stemming from listening and acknowledging, led to responding to the survivor’s request for safety, which might include anything from —and I quote: “(1) we were not to say to her “trust me,” (2) no quick movements, (3) no swearing, raising of voices, or angry outbursts, (4) no staring or laughing at her when she cried, (5) no dancing around her, (6) to honestly answer her questions, and (7) to assist her in developing a healthy relationship.” Other healing interventions included guided visualisations, brainstorming, mapping thoughts on large Flipchart paper, journal writing, role- playing, walking in nature, and free play in safe environments.

As the process of healing unfolded, the stories shared were so mind-boggling the authors knew that story credibility would be questioned — if not ridiculed by those who might want to hide evidence of this undercover culture. So they began a rigorous scientific research method of gathering undeniable evidence of the sex-torture-traffickers modus operandi. They organised a network of undercover meetings with survivors who answered their invitation to speak about family sex-torture-violence. This kitchen table research process created safety for women survivors, and over a number of cases it provided the authors with identifiable patterns which they then modelled through visual charts and diagrams. The visual representations then allowed survivors to see the bigger picture and identify where on the charts they fitted.

This book is confronting, gut-wrenching, but ultimately inspirational. It presents a treasure trove of self-help tools and identification charts needed to work with a wide range of trauma survivors from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. I can see it being used by teachers in kindergarten, primary schools and beyond to assess which children are at risk. I can see it becoming required reading for police cadet training, doctors, lawyers, public servants, social workers, therapist and ministers.

If we can be half as courageous as these women by daring to read past the trigger warning signs in this book, then we may find answers to creating a safer world for women, firstly by our awareness of the deep-seated issues, secondly by respectfully questioning women who appear to be hiding their distressed states, and thirdly by calling out abusive behaviour as it happens — or reporting it.

I suspect this book was written as an act of love for women, and a plea t to help make a difference. Do yourself a favour. Use this book to move forward with your eyes wide open, your ears alert, and your heart open to those less fortunate.

[Emmanouela Mousama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Women Unsilenced by Jeanne Sarson and Linda MacDonald

Women Unsilenced is a profoundly difficult yet essential read, offering unflinching insights into the unimaginable torture and suffering endured by children who became victims of human cruelty. The book courageously delves into forms of violence that are rarely spoken of, presenting the raw and horrifying realities faced by survivors of non-state torture (NST). The authors’ commitment to sharing these stories is not only an act of advocacy but also a deeply compassionate effort to honor the resilience of those who have endured such atrocities.

What stands out most is how Jeanne Sarson and Linda MacDonald remain steadfast in their advocacy, despite the emotionally harrowing nature of their work. Their determination to stand alongside survivors, validate their experiences, and provide pathways for healing is both inspiring and humbling. They don’t merely recount stories; they actively push for systemic recognition of NST as a human rights violation, challenging societies and governments to address this hidden crisis.

Reading this book is challenging—not just because of the content, but because it forces you to confront the darkness humanity is capable of inflicting. Yet, it is also a testament to the resilience of survivors and the unyielding dedication of those who support them. This book is more than a documentation of unspeakable trauma; it is a call to action to end silence, advocate for justice, and champion hope.

An unforgettable and deeply moving read.

[Rosa Borg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most moving books that I've ever read. Jeanne Sarson & Linda MacDonald write about their work with women who have survived the horrifying ordeals of non state torture. In spite of the terrible experiences that these women go through, the book is ultimately a story of hope & of the triumph of the human spirit. A must read for anyone who cares about the wellbeing of women & girls.

[Florence Carrot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential but tough but incredible caring work with survivors on their journeys to recovery! The description of some of those non State torture by women's families is frightening. Inspired by the dedication of those two women who wrote the books and contributed to change some legislations on the torture framework to advance women's rights.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is dealing with one of the most depressing topics you can read about, non-state torture. For several years the authors have helped women who experienced abuse and torture, and they have documented what they experienced and what survivors told them.

What drove me up the wall are two well-meant but utterly annoying things that happen throughout the book. The first one is the usage of herstory, instead of history. History is derived from Latin, historia, and it is already a feminine word, and I found changing the word to claim women’s history simply crude. The other issue is hyphenating reflexive pronouns, e.g. her-Self, and capitalising ‘Self’. The reason why the authors did so makes some sense, but they also used this awkward form when it did not make sense at all and at least once when it was grammatically wrong.

Apart from that, Women Unsilenced is quite remarkable. It tells the stories of what some women experienced, namely years of systematic torture and abuse by family, friends, and people who had power over them. It is heartbreaking to read what these survivors were forced through, and even though it was not always described as bluntly as it could have been, it sometimes became also clear just how much the authors themselves were affected by what they learned and experienced while helping survivors.

Although the focus of the book is on Canada, most (?) of what is being said there would be valid around the world. The authors included several references to the UN, and it turns out that in countries where laws protecting women are few, the rate of crimes against women is much higher. The authors also describe patterns of systemic misogyny and invalidating women’s experiences. So, maybe it is not surprising that women and girls are still often pathologized as mentally ill when they try to tell their stories about the violence they experienced.

This is not a book that you can just read and put away. Depending on your background it might affect you in different ways. What the authors want to achieve is raise awareness to a gruesome topic that women and girls have to deal with, and it definitely does that. Often, it was simply too much for me, so I’d recommend reading this only when you are feeling strong and in a good place.

Due to the annoying language issues I subtract one star, but it does not change that I believe this book is worth being read. 4 out of 5 stars.


Trigger warning:
The book is full of descriptions of and references to different forms of physical and non-physical violence.