Thirty Minutes: Changed Forever

Julie M. Frawley
Paperback
$12.95
ISBN # 978-1-933916-11-8
Publication date: April 2008

Quote from Thirty Minutes

"When we suffer a loss or experience a tragedy, memories of our experience may dominate our thoughts for a long time. Often, loved ones think that if they don't bring up the subject or ask about our misfortune, we won't be reminded of it. They would be surprised to learn that those of us who have been wounded are constantly thinking about our loss. The people who invite us to share our concerns often give us great comfort. When someone I know is in pain, I always try to remember this truth."

Synopsis

On August 29, 1986, at age twenty-six, I was brutally raped in my own home. The rape lasted less than a half an hour. Yet, those thirty minutes have impacted every day of my life since the incident occurred.

In the weeks that followed, I longed for the sense of security that I once had. At night, I prayed that the next morning would bring relief from the extreme terror that I was experiencing. It didn't happen.

I was angry with God. How could He allow this to happen to me? Although I didn't trust God, I couldn't stop thinking about Him. My anger repelled me from Him, yet it also drew me closer to Him.

This book is not just about that one day in my life—it is also about the twenty years of healing and spiritual growth that followed. It is about my need to still talk about it after all this time. If more people understand the humiliation and feelings of violation that occur during a sexual assault, friends, neighbors, and family members won't continue to say:

  • At least he didn't hurt you.
  • I told the police that you were a good girl.
  • Your fears are irrational.
  • Can't you just forget about it?

By sharing the story of my rape, my sincere hope is that others might benefit from the insights I have learned throughout my long recovery.