This story contain descriptions of the effects of trauma
Today, on Father’s Day, Teen Vogue published my piece What Every Incest Survivor Needs to Know.
There’s so much I want to say about this experience, and I will, in time, talk more about what it took to get this piece published. But for now, I just want to celebrate that we got the single most important publication speaking to young people today to publish a piece written by a survivor about healing from incest. The goal has always been to break the silence and taboo around incest, and today was an enormous step towards a world where we can talk openly and freely about this very common experience.
What Every Incest Survivor Needs to Know
I did not do this alone. I am very grateful to all who gave me emotional, technical and intellectual support these past few weeks. You know who you are.
I wrote the piece I needed to read for myself all the many Father’s Days that I suffered. Today, I know that if a younger Alisa had access to this article she would have felt seen, heard and supported. Today, I take back Father’s Day. I give a gift to myself, and hopefully, along the way, a gift to others too.
