Such important words, Nancy. I admire this piece so much and the thoughtful, skilful way you've argued for the voices of victims. Sending love and strength to you.x
Thank you, Lindsay! Though I use the term 'victims' once in my piece, I do prefer the term 'survivors' because it gives those targeted and impacted more agency. Thanks for sending love and strength. Right back atcha! 🥰
This is beautiful and powerful Nancy and comes straight from the heart, and is such an important perspective. Thank you for writing it. You have also reminded me of the victim's perspective, which easily gets lost in the soup of opinions.
Thank you for writing about this. When the news first came out, I couldn't access the full story, and the Guardian link here helped me understand. I've read and re-read another Munro daughter's memoir about her mother - it's here beside me on the shelf. Many of Munro's books, hardbound even, sit on my shelf, also beside me. As a college first year student, I was enthralled by "Lives of Girls and Women" - someone was actually WRITING about that? It led me to read mountains of books by women and base my undergraduate degree on literature by women, take on professors who never offered books by women on the syllabus. One of Munro's stories, I think called "Runaway," documents an estranged daughter's disappearance. As I got older, I found I didn't like a sort of creepy quality in Munro's writing, exacerbated by the other daughter's memoir. What's shocking about this story now is that the nine-year old child is accused of "seducing" the fifty-year old man. Exactly what the family friend predator in my childhood said of my grade school sisters and me.
Hi Kirie, I’m so sorry if you suffered anything at the hands of a predator. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I stand with you. And every survivor.
And thank you for writing about these topics. I have worked with survivors all my life, still do, and I think more women (and men) are molested as children than even the statistics show. I know that being molested and assaulted damages us in our skin, body, soul, nervous system, mind. When we're very young, we aren't even "cooked" yet - we have no way to process these events. The person committing the crime is a grown up. Some children do try to tell others, and are told it didn't happen or not to talk about it or it's their fault. Many more keep it as a secret, as the pedophiles tell them to do. I too stand with you and with every survivor.
I always listen and am alert to the words and reactions to people by children which are generally very candid, authentic and unfeigned. I observe the way children and dogs react to humans. Reactions which are often very telling concerning intuition and trust. My instinct is to believe and trust those reactions.
Thank you for writing this. It made me search out Val Ross’ interview with Munro in the Globe in 2006. Ross’ piece reads differently now, of course, yet telling, even then.
Such important words, Nancy. I admire this piece so much and the thoughtful, skilful way you've argued for the voices of victims. Sending love and strength to you.x
Thank you, Lindsay! Though I use the term 'victims' once in my piece, I do prefer the term 'survivors' because it gives those targeted and impacted more agency. Thanks for sending love and strength. Right back atcha! 🥰
This is beautiful and powerful Nancy and comes straight from the heart, and is such an important perspective. Thank you for writing it. You have also reminded me of the victim's perspective, which easily gets lost in the soup of opinions.
Dear Lily, thank you so much for your words (and sharing this piece.) I'm heartened it has resonated with writers I respect like yourself. 🙏🏻🥰
What powerful piece. Thank you for writing it.
Thanks so kindly, Chandra, for taking the time to read and respond. 🙏🏻
Thank you for writing about this. When the news first came out, I couldn't access the full story, and the Guardian link here helped me understand. I've read and re-read another Munro daughter's memoir about her mother - it's here beside me on the shelf. Many of Munro's books, hardbound even, sit on my shelf, also beside me. As a college first year student, I was enthralled by "Lives of Girls and Women" - someone was actually WRITING about that? It led me to read mountains of books by women and base my undergraduate degree on literature by women, take on professors who never offered books by women on the syllabus. One of Munro's stories, I think called "Runaway," documents an estranged daughter's disappearance. As I got older, I found I didn't like a sort of creepy quality in Munro's writing, exacerbated by the other daughter's memoir. What's shocking about this story now is that the nine-year old child is accused of "seducing" the fifty-year old man. Exactly what the family friend predator in my childhood said of my grade school sisters and me.
Hi Kirie, I’m so sorry if you suffered anything at the hands of a predator. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I stand with you. And every survivor.
And thank you for writing about these topics. I have worked with survivors all my life, still do, and I think more women (and men) are molested as children than even the statistics show. I know that being molested and assaulted damages us in our skin, body, soul, nervous system, mind. When we're very young, we aren't even "cooked" yet - we have no way to process these events. The person committing the crime is a grown up. Some children do try to tell others, and are told it didn't happen or not to talk about it or it's their fault. Many more keep it as a secret, as the pedophiles tell them to do. I too stand with you and with every survivor.
I always listen and am alert to the words and reactions to people by children which are generally very candid, authentic and unfeigned. I observe the way children and dogs react to humans. Reactions which are often very telling concerning intuition and trust. My instinct is to believe and trust those reactions.
Such courageous honest writing Nancy, powerful and compassionate, thank you for sharing ❤️
Thanks so much, Sam, for reading and commenting. I'm glad it spoke to you. 🙏🏻🩵
Thank you for writing this. It made me search out Val Ross’ interview with Munro in the Globe in 2006. Ross’ piece reads differently now, of course, yet telling, even then.
Thanks, Henri, for reading it. I appreciate your thoughts here.