Coalesce blog – Survivor voices: In Time You Will Understand

Countering current backlashes on women’s rights in the Euro-Mediterranean Region
May 16, 2022
Coalesce blog – Φωνές Επιζώντων: Με Τον Καιρό Θα Καταλάβεις
October 2, 2022

In her quest to give a voice to those that are often forgotten or lumped into an anonymous, faceless mass, Armandine Love Saadio documents the life of a survivor of sexual exploitation and abuse. Her brave and thought-provoking work follows the life of Rita, immersing the reader in the emotional turmoil of her journey, from child to woman. In the following excerpt from her yet-unpublished novel, translated from French to English, we watch Rita struggle with being forced to abandon her dreams and the studies she so loves. Her mother confirms that they were but an illusion, paid for by Uncle Yves, a deposit on a life of submission. The deal is done and her only choice is to comply, or to find the strength to flee...alone and afraid.

This blog post serves as a preamble to her life before trafficking - the abandonment of her studies due to a forced marriage, her father's incestuous acts and grooming, and an abrupt end to her personal dreams and aspirations. These are some of the elements that are common in the lives of sexually exploited women, unknown to the wider public.

Find the full blog post here