GAZELLE MAGAZINE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EDITION | Page 82

WELLNESS & WELL-BEING
It Happened to #MeToo
CILLAH HALL, 41
Publisher, Gazelle
T
his is incredibly hard to talk
about, especially because
it impacts the dynamics in
my family. But I know it is
time to free myself from the
shame and burdens placed on my shoulders
by people I loved and trusted. I have more
than one story, including sexual harassment
as an adult. But the one that has impacted
my life more than any other is the sexual
abuse I suffered at the hands of my uncle,
somewhere between the ages of 9 and 11. I
lost my innocence, and it was not my choice.
It occurred numerous times, right in my
parents’ house when everyone was asleep. I
vividly recall the moments when I would feel
a nudge on my side, and a whisper to wake up.
I did not tell key family members until I was
in my 30s. I was hoping for understanding
and outrage, but I got silence and doubt.
That hurt more than the actual abuse, and
prevented me from opening up about other
instances at home.
When my uncle named his eldest daughter
Cillah, everyone thought it was because I
was his favorite niece, but I knew better.
Those early experiences have affected
my relationships with men, and made me
hypervigilant when it comes to my children.
They have also empowered me in many ways.
When you see me walking around, doing
my part to change the world, know that I am
a survivor of life. I am now strong enough to
proudly hold my head up, and say, “me, too.”
I am doing this for me, and for women and
children who have not yet found their voice.
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