Running From Hippos Outline

 

“When I awoke one morning, my whole body felt numb. My head, normally so full of ideas and challenges, seemed to be empty. I foraged deep within my mind for just a tiny flicker of anything that might resemble the normal me.”

 Depression knows no boundaries. Abusers, like their victims come in all guises. Anyone, old or young, rich or poor, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race or religion can become a victim.

I know, because I became a victim at an early age, my only crime was being different. ‘Running from Hippos’ is a narrative of my life, the good, the bad and the very ugly. It begins with the story of naïve child who was, unwillingly, subjected to sexual, physical and mental abuse. It tells of my ongoing battle to stay alive and sane, in an unfathomable world.

Some of my book is written in third person drawing on Bren, the stronger me, to relate the things that have been difficult to process; and, as a result, some of the descriptions can be quite graphic.

Often extremely emotional, sometimes funny, occasionally thought provoking. This book is the story of how I endured years of being a victim of other people’s lust and aggression; how I not only managed to stand up to my aggressors, but also learned how to live again. Despite all that I suffered, my story proves that it is possible to emerge from even the deepest abyss of despair, and find peace and happiness once again.