Why I Didn't Report from Author Jennie Withers

Jennie Withers, local teacher and world traveler, published her memoir, A Backpack, a Eurorail Pass, and Some Serious Baggage, on July 15, 2018. She held an official launch in two cities, Boise, ID and Salt Lake City, UT. She wants to share her story in order to let other victims of sexual abuse know they are not alone.

For Jennie, a change of setting and culture was needed to confront the abuses of an uncle and a powerful, patriarchal religion. A Backpack, a Eurorail Pass, and Some Serious Baggage is an honest, sometimes humorous, account of a young woman’s struggle to get to a place where she can run unabashedly through the pages of her story.

“Before this trip through Europe with my friends, Jeanne and Bert,” Withers says, “my setting had always been conservative small-town Idaho. I absolutely had to leave that environment and the people insulating me to gain perspective of the world and myself. Maybe most importantly, without this journey, I don’t think I ever would have revealed or dealt with my abuse. With the help and support of Jeanne and Bert, I found a voice in Europe.”

Withers relays in her book what her friends said during the trip, “If you believed what Ray did to you wasn’t your fault, you wouldn’t be so worried about what everybody else thinks. I think there’s a part of you that still sees yourself as the Mormon girl who sinned in some way.”

Some of her own family wanted her to keep it quiet, “I want you to do something for me. Don’t prosecute Ray. He would be disbarred and if he’s disbarred, he can’t support the boys. I know you must hate him but promise me you won’t go to the authorities.”

Her book, A Backpack, a Eurorail Pass, and Some Serious Baggage, shares a brutally honest account of how reporting becomes nearly impossible in a culture ruled by men. The book is available on Amazon and through local distributors now. Go to http://www.jenniewithers.com for more details on ordering the book or contact her through email or by phone.

ABOUT JENNIE WITHERS
She is an English teacher by profession, and a writer by passion. She lives, works, and plays in Boise, Idaho. She believes we all have a story to tell, and her hope is that by sharing hers, she can help individuals navigate life a little easier, and perhaps feel a little less alone on the journey. She is available for interviews and speaking opportunities.

For any media inquiries, please contact Jennie Withers at
Tel: (208) 272-0414
jennie(at)jenniewithers.com

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