Survivor Testimonials

Through the photo session with survivors, Meggie continuously strives to create a safe, comfortable environment for survivors.  She knows how hard it can be to open up and share these stories.  Below are some of the reactions from survivors who’ve participated in her photo project.

“I found out about Meggie’s photo series through my university’s Women’s Leadership and Resource Center and automatically wanted to be a part of it. As I said before, reading other people’s stories continuously helps me feel less alienated, and knowing that mine could possibly do the same for other survivors is really important to me. Since I have not yet talked about my assault with many people, it was quite a difficult but very refreshing experience. Meggie explained to me that I could tell her anything I was comfortable sharing, and that all of the information could be anonymous if I wanted it to be. She was extremely understanding and comforting throughout our entire afternoon together. Everybody’s healing process is different, but personally I find that the more survivors I share my story with the more at peace I feel with myself. Meggie fosters a warm environment that added to my healing process and I urge other survivors to join our community!”  ~ Not Gonna Stop Me (Anonymous survivor)

“Honestly the more I talk about it the stronger I become.  I know what it’s like to feel that it won’t ever get better so if sharing my story helps one person, that’s all I could ever ask for.  Working with you was truly amazing. I have shared my story to people and right away they judge it or they compare it or they play the whose worse game. and that’s not ok. But sharing it with you was comforting and really put my mind at ease. I wasn’t the “rape victim” you know, I was just another person like everyone else. And sometimes it doesn’t work like that with others, so thank you for this experience. And thank you for everything you’re doing for others!  Honestly you are making such an impact by not only helping other survivors, but by helping us to get stronger together!“ ~Fearless (Anonymous Survivor)

“I heard about Meggie’s project through an email from the UIC Women’s Leadership and Resource Center. I wanted to participate because I hadn’t read many stories of people who reacted to trauma the same way I did; Meggie’s photo series showcases that every response and healing process is individual and unique, and she approached me and my experiences with complete understanding and validation. I hadn’t shared my story with many people before, but Meggie made me feel safe, comfortable and supported throughout the process.

I really appreciated Meggie’s strong sense of professionalism that helped to guide such a personal process. Sharing a story of interpersonal violence can be very emotional, and she always made sure that I knew what the next step was and that I was prepared for it. Throughout the whole process she was easily accessible to communicate with about the project, both early and entirely prepared for our meeting the day of, and she asked for my consent at every step.

Meggie is doing great work sharing survivor’s stories and shedding light on our experiences. She’s giving a voice to many whom the world has continuously tried to silence. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to share my story with her; Meggie is a wonderful, compassionate person to work with, and exactly the advocate our community needs right now. Thank you for all your work!”  Stronger Now (Anonymous Survivor)

“Working with Meggie from Reclaiming Me has healed a huge scar I have been holding onto for most of my life.  Meggie has a way of making you feel comfortable, that it’s okay to be vulnerable with your story, your pain and heartache.  As an experienced speaker regarding rape, abuse and harassment of all kinds, it was truly an honor to work with someone who is extremely compassionate, loving and understanding. She takes time to hear your story, to talk things out with you which was helpful throughout the entire process of sharing my story. I would love to have more opportunities to work with Meggie and Reclaiming Me again in the future!” ~Be The Light (Anonymous Survivor)

“I learned about the Reclaiming Me photo project by Meggie through an email sent by UIC’s Women’s Leadership and Resource Center. I was very much interested in knowing about the project and wanted to be a part of the photo series but was hesitant. Since it had been more than a decade I had experienced the traumatic experiences and I had not publicly spoken about my encounters and experiences surviving sexual violence to anyone including my family, I was really reluctant and anxious. Once I emailed Meggie expressing my interest, our email correspondence to and fro and the way she explained the project, made me calmer and comfortable in discussing my experiences with her. She told me I can be anonymous while sharing my story and for the photo. When we met and while sharing my story, she was patient, caring and empathetic to my experiences as a survivor of sexual violence. I had also reviewed and read other survivors’ stories on her blog including her own experience and it helped me feel more empowered and strong about my own experiences. So I realized that my story can hopefully make other survivors feel less isolated, less vulnerable and more powerful in their own way. She also gives the survivors the flexibility to edit/ change/add or remove any content from the transcript after our interview, thus giving us the power to express our own voice and with what makes us feel comfortable and safe. It was a bit nerve-wrecking and challenging remembering details and reliving some of these unpleasant experiences during the interview but it felt much lighter and liberated speaking about my story. Thanks to Meggie and the compassionate, sensitive and beautiful rapport she builds with us survivors, I am so glad and honored to be a part of this photo series. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with her on other topics relevant to sexual violence especially our background, activism and research/ work. It is important to recognize no matter where we grow up and despite our different cultural upbringings, we survivors face similar trauma and revictimization and we are not alone in this. Thank you Meggie for conducting such an important project and for providing us the safe space and an important forum to share our stories!” ~ Meghna (Liberated)

“It has been nearly nine years since I escaped an abusive (physically and mentally) relationship with my now ex-husband, whom I haven’t seen since 2009. It never ceases to amaze me how, after so much slowly- growing distance in time, moments—perhaps once or twice a year—take me back to the emotional aftermaths (plural intended) of trauma. These moments happen during rare face-to-face discussions with another person, in which I recount the details of the abuse I underwent. During these infrequent conversations (which consist mostly of me talking) I tear up, sometimes outright cry, and tremble. It’s very strange, and it astonishes me that, after so many post-abuse years, that the residue still exists deep in my psyche. One might think that this is an unfortunate connection to a painful past, these moments–this relapse of the trauma. But actually, given how infrequent the relapses are, I appreciate that the aftermaths still reside inside me. Not as a perversity, but as a reminder that what I experienced was genuine. The abuse was not an overreaction. The severity of the abuse was real. And when I experience this infrequent “setback,”–recalling the painful moments in my past–it strangely solidifies my strength. Not only my strength, but my sheer sense of good fortune that the evil force who once dominated my life is absent, living in his native country overseas. 

When Meg and I met about one week ago at a coffeehouse in Evanston, she interviewed me about my past experience in domestic abuse. I felt immediately at ease describing the abuse I underwent, and her intelligent, empathetic nature made our discussion therapeutic for me, yes, but also meaningful. Meg shared her personal occurrences with her past abusive partners, and I truly value this connection. I love how she incorporates the art of photography into her interviews. And that we women survivors who are featured, may choose the word that best captures how we feel today. I chose the word ELATION, because the demon of my past is gone—likely forever—and I am left raising our beautiful, strong, funny, thriving son.  “ ~Elation (Anonymous Survivor)

"A few weeks ago, I was in a dark place dealing with the anxiety of school starting again and the upcoming anniversary of the day I was sexually assaulted. I usually don’t like to talk about how I’m feeling with anyone that I know because I don’t want them to worry about me, so I needed to talk to someone who would just listen. I saw an email from the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center at UIC about a woman who was looking for survivors to participate in an art project where they share their stories of recovery. I immediately emailed Meggie to introduce myself and I don’t regret it. I’ll admit that I was pretty comfortable with telling her my story, but I couldn’t bring myself to give my identity. Meggie was so supportive and kind during our meeting. She truly made me feel comfortable talking with her and she didn’t mind when I decided to keep my identity hidden after she wrote the first write up. Not only is she the best listener, but her idea is exquisite. Instead of making art that focuses on the darkness of a traumatic event, she dwells in the beauty of the light that survivors see after the fact. What we experienced may haunt us for the rest of our lives, but the healing process is so powerful that it will determine the attitude we have when we face difficulties in the future. So when survivors come to the realization that every day may not be good, but it is possible to find something good
in every day, those are the moments that should be remembered forever." ~Perception Is Reality (Anonymous Survivor)