"Neglected, hungry, groomed and abused, Hear Me is a story of overcoming immense trauma and adversity, a tale of resilience and strength and a rally call for more support for care leavers and to end child abuse."
Liz grew up hungry. Her mother’s weekly benefits would feed them, and keep her in alcohol for a couple of days. If they had anything at all for the rest of the week it was seen as a good week. Struggling with her mum’s drinking and mental health left a young Liz walking on eggshells at home, bullies at school left her feeling alone at school with few friends. A perfect storm that leaves her vulnerable for grooming and abuse by a 32 year old man - her school bus driver - whose coercive control not only isolated her further but at its most heinous pit mother and fourteen year old daughter against each other as rivals.
A lot of Liz's story is heartbreaking. An equal amount of it is chilling in its shocking nature, as Liz shares the horrendous manipulations she experienced at the hands of Andy. You feel how trapped she was by her relationship with her mother, wanting to love and protect her, frustrated, ashamed and embarrassed by her actions. The emotional turmoil chokes as you read. Thankfully for Liz she quickly learned to hide away in schoolwork, fuelling the bullying taunts of “Teacher’s Pet” but that drive ultimately provided Liz with the chance to break free. As is highlighted by Liz, so many other children in her position fall on to paths so much worse that taking on extra school work, with a lack of support and resources available to help them break their own cycles of abuse and neglect. Liz’s story is one of inner strength, resilience and determination but it is also used to effectively platform that Liz’s story of success isn’t the norm. That more can and needs to be done to stop child abuse. In order for more children who’ve been in care to have a chance at finding their own freedom, more support needs to be in place. Hear Me is an eloquently told, emotionally impactful story that demands to be heard from the title to the final page.
| Primary Genre | Biographies & Autobiographies |
| Other Genres: |
"Having lived through these experiences and been unable to speak out - not knowing how to use my voice to ask for help - I am thrilled that I am finally being heard and my story is being told."
This is a memoir about childhood neglect; childhood sexual abuse; and living in care - but it is also one of the best examples of resilience and survival.
Groomed and abused as a child, Liz could easily have crumbled. Instead, she stood up and saw justice done.
But Hear Me is more than one woman's story - as remarkable and powerfully written as that story is.
It is also a call to arms for the unheard victims across the country. Liz is fiercely passionate about spreading awareness of child neglect, abuse, poverty, living in care and how that can impact people throughout life, and limit their chances of achieving their full potential.
She is determined to have an impact on this subject, to be a voice for change. Until these topics are highlighted on prime-time TV, on drive time radio shows, and are discussed around the dinner table and in the playground, abusers will continue to abuse, protected by a blanket of fear. Liz is hopeful her story will contribute to a change in the culture we live in.
Despite the horrors she has endured, Hear Me is also a beautifully, sometimes even funny, memoir which will make readers stop in their tracks and really think.
Hear Me features in the following genres: Biographies & Autobiographies, True stories of heroism, endurance and survival, Child abuse, Biography, Literature and Literary studies, True stories: general, True stories of heroism, endurance and survival, Society and Social Sciences, Society and culture: general, Social and ethical issues, Violence and abuse in society, Child abuse
Hear Me is available in Paperback
Hear Me was written by Liz Hubbuck and published by Mirror Books
Hear Me has 288 pages
£8.99
