Interview with Catherine Wyatt-Morley & Jalyon Welsh-Cole, Authors of I Am The Product of Rape: A Memoir



I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE: A MEMOIR by Catherine Wyatt-Morley & Jalyon Welsh-Cole, Memoir, 194 pp., $15.95 (paperback)


Title: I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR
Authors: Catherine Wyatt-Morley and Jalyon Welsh-Cole
Publisher: Four Pillars Media Group
Pages: 194
Genre: Memoir


The phrase “secrets and lies” takes on terrible new meaning in Catherine Wyatt-Morley’s devastating book, I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR.

Wyatt-Morley’s shocking story traces the repeated patterns of rape and incest that plagued four generations of her family, including Wyatt-Morley’s birth in a filthy basement to her 12-year-old mother, who was sexually abused by her step-father.

“…In the process of writing this book, an extremely difficult journey that has taken years, I was taken to unfamiliar destinations and exposed to unfathomable pain,” Wyatt-Morley relates. “Part of that pain was learning that I was created through the atrocities of incest by a brutally manipulative monster and, while only moments old, (I was) denied by a heartless grandmother who never bothered to look at me.”

Wyatt-Morley wrote I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR, she says, “as my way of dealing with my personal healing. But through conversations with many diverse women, I quickly began seeing I was not alone. So many had never told anyone of the abuse that has happened to them; yet they have a need to heal, to not feel isolated.”

Wyatt-Morley’s daughter, Jalyon Welsh-Cole, also suffered the terrible legacy of her family when she was abused by her eldest brother. She wrote the epilogue to I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR, an essay she called BURNING HOUSE, in response to the continued pattern of abuse that formed her familial legacy.

“Most of my family members who have learned of this are dealing with it as well as one can,” Welsh-Cole says. “However, others are still in disbelief and struggle to understand. For over two decades I kept this heinous secret to myself. I have had time to bury it, cry over it, and finally seek therapy and come to grips with it.

Welsh-Cole’s mother’s story “made me feel as if our bloodline was full of secrets and lies that I wanted to expose,” she continues. “I knew after learning of my grandmother’s story that I wasn’t alone. Today, I cannot allow this to continue to happen in our family.”
As dark and unrelenting as it is, the story told in I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR leads to a conclusion of overcoming tremendous odds, leaving readers riveted, inspired, and empowered.

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Excerpt:

A ferocious human predator ripped through our family, drooling over the innocent―leaving none untouched. Generations of child predators have devoured their vulnerable offspring and siblings, molesting our family’s youth unconcerned about the magnitude of their actions. Silence has become the gateway to mental health issues throughout our lineage.  I Am the Product of RapeA Memoir exposes generational secrets, lies, cover-ups and denial and their consequences. Told from my perspective, this is my family story, a glimpse into four women irreversibly scarred by traumatic abuse.
            The family matriarch, my grandmother, a prolific mother of ten, sets the tone for all of us women who would place our feet in the footprints of her journey. Her decisions transform her ancestry for generations to come. Refusing her child love, protection, safety and happiness for material wealth is significant to her legacy. Her story sheds light on the transgressions she not only allowed but participated in.
            Next, there is the vulnerable, shy girl who endured the death of her childhood at the hands of her stepfather. Incest, abuse, betrayal, humiliation, and rape inhumanly tore through her seven year old body. Well before puberty she was sexually exploited in her own home, her childhood, mind and body all repeatedly violated. While her mother, my grandmother, lived in denial of the events taking place in their home, this innocent child was consistently, savagely tormented by her stepfather who exercised power and control over her. To survive she separated her two worlds, disconnecting from the brutality she incessantly endured. Inevitable, at twelve years old that vulnerable, shy girl gave birth a child. She gave birth to me!
            Then, there is me, born on a filthy basement floor to a twelve year old. I Am the Product of Rape. I am an adoptee, I am a daughter, and I am a mother of three. In search of my future, I found the weighted baggage of the past. Catholic Social Services documents helped to chronicle my life, as did the many conversations I have had over the years with sometimes very reluctant people―relatives, social workers, and paper pushers, all of whom seemed to guard my past as it floundered aimlessly, leaving lingering, unanswered questions. Through the process of connecting with my past much was revealed. I came to learn that from my first breath I was discarded, unwanted, unloved and homeless. My journey through foster homes the adoption system, and the intense emotional peaks and valleys concluded with me being adopted becoming the fourth member of a middle class Catholic family.  The mother of the family had love enough for one of her children and I was not that child.
            Finally, along this sexual-abuse sojourn, I unfortunately discovered my daughter's devastating experience. Crushing my very core, this revelation sent my life careening in another unexpected direction, straight through my children's lives into a fourth-generation nightmare. The ripple effects of demoralizing incest, the sexual slavery of serial rape, and the brutality of molestation go beyond their impact on the direct victims, transmitting a trauma that oozes intergenerationally. This story intertwines the DNA of my family's bloodline.
            In conclusion, I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir initiates family table talks that have kept incest secrets silent for generations. Our goals are to make I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir and our other materials available to everyone, have I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir translated into the worlds languages and make I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir and our other materials part of the global platform for eliminating disparities. My daughter and I conclude by saying you are not alone.





 




As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books. Can you tell us what your book is about?

I Am the Product of Rape A Memoir is a snapshot of four women irreversibly scarred by traumatic abuse. First, the family matriarch, a prolific mother of ten, sets the tone for the women who would place their feet in the footprints of her journey, transforming her ancestry for generations to come. Her story sheds light on the transgressions she not only allowed but participated in. 
           
Next, there is the girl who endured the death of her childhood at the hands of incest, abuse, betrayal, humiliation, rape, and the inevitable birth of a child. Well before puberty she was sexually exploited in her own home, her childhood, mind and body all repeatedly violated. 
           
Then, there is me (Catherine Wyatt-Morley). I Am the Product of Rape. I am an adoptee, I am a daughter, and I am a mother of three. In search of my future, I found the weighted baggage of the past. Catholic Social Services documents helped to chronicle my life, as did the many conversations I have had over the years with sometimes very reluctant people―relatives, social workers, and paper pushers, all of whom seemed to guard my past as it floundered aimlessly, leaving lingering, unanswered questions.  I found and met my mother well into my adulthood, listening intently as she exposed the atrocities which resulted in my birth. She transmitted the pain of a denied childhood to me like so many nutrients fed to a fetus through an umbilical cord. My heritage lay bare; I was speechless as my mother's portrait of her sexual violation crushed me. I was faced with her reality, my subsequent reality, and with what was yet to come.
           
Finally, along this sexual-abuse sojourn, I unfortunately discovered my daughter's devastating experience. Crushing my very core, this revelation sent my life careening in another unexpected direction, straight through my children's lives into a fourth-generation nightmare. The ripple effects of demoralizing incest, the sexual slavery of serial rape, and the brutality of molestation go beyond their impact on the direct victims, transmitting a trauma that oozes intergenerationally.
Written by Catherine Wyatt-Morley

Can you give us an excerpt?
           
This is an excerpt from the Epilogue Burning House in I Am the Product of Rape A Memoir.
           
The backdrop of my adolescence was mostly spent being raped, sexually assaulted and physically abused by my oldest brother. During the day, I took on the role of a young, carefree, mocha-colored little girl with pigtails. By fifth-grade, my life was coming unhinged. It was there that I was misdiagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, but Mom adamantly disagreed with the diagnosis. The narrative of my middle and high school years were very difficult as well. During the day, I smiled. Hellish, traumatizing, snake-filled nightmares, laced in visions of incest, drowned my childhood and adolescence, plaguing my sleep. Unable to tell anyone, I buried my pain deep, unknowingly nurturing it, becoming a slave to it for years. Time alone did not ease my suffering. As I grew older the suppressed trauma of my childhood began to manifest, progressively taking severe forms. I became more anxious, angry and depressed. I was angry that my brother repeatedly violated me, angry my father had left, angry my mother was sick, and angry because I had to be angry in silence. Hell, I was angry because I was angry. Spiraling downward, entering high school, I stopped caring about myself, losing all self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-respect. I hated getting out of bed in the morning, but I could not sleep at night and would cry for no reason. No matter how much I tried not to feel sad, it was like I was always alone, even in a crowd. My self-loathing prompted me toward sexual promiscuity as a method of coping. Although I knew better, I managed to suppress my inner anger through the act of sex. Insomuch as pretending it had become a part of my DNA, even that I could not control. Sex became an addiction, like a needle sending heroin straight into my vein. The fact of the matter is sex allowed me to manage life and subdue my pain. Nevertheless, as with any drug, it too began to let me down. Before realizing what was happening to my life, I had entered a lethal black hole in a downward spiral leading toward the abyss of depression.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?
           
I would tell my younger self to seek mental health help and not wait!  That my ADHD diagnosis is not correct and to find a doctor who believes it is indeed what we now know is Bipolar Disorder. I would tell myself to tell my mother and to not allow anything to interfere with telling her. I would tell myself to write more about what took place. I would tell myself that though it seemed rough in the moment, feeling alone, that which my younger self is enduring is only the experience my older self will use because there is a purpose in all that I have been through. I would tell my younger self how therapeutic painting is for me personally and I would encourage my younger self to take drawing, sketching and painting classes and horn my creative younger self. Lastly, I would tell my younger self though she does not believe it to be true, that she is strong, and she will in fact, impact the world and change lives in her generation by simply telling her untold story.
 Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?

I don’t really have many quirks about my writings but I guess one thing I think is unique about my writing style is that I write my best stuff at night in the dark when my son has went to bed. I seem to drift into my thoughts easier during this time have written great work because of it.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

One of my writing quirks is my ability to shut out the world around me. No matter the noise, the conversation from television, radio, people talking I can shut it all off, turn it all out and concentrate on writing.
Written by Catherine Wyatt-Morley

Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

My mother and I have had the pleasure of receiving a lot of reviews, personal messages, letters and in person talks about how I Am the Product of Rape—A Memoir has personally touched them and helped them in one way or another. I recall a grandmother raising her 15 year old granddaughter saying, I Am the Product of Rape—A Memoir helped her deal with the trauma of her granddaughter’s molestation by a family member.  Also, we heard from a 42 year old reader who shared after reading I Am the Product of Rape—A Memoir that she found the courage to disclose to her 76 year old mother that her younger years of drug use were due to being repeatedly raped by a family member. Her 76 year old mother in turn told her she too was molestation by a family member. I Am the Product of Rape—A Memoir touches on several topics and we are told it has become a go-to-guide for opening table talk discussion. My mother and I love hearing from our readers and encourage them to continue to reach out to us via our website www.catherinewyatt-morley.com  by clicking on the contact us link in the menu.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? 

My response would be self-criticism.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole


What has been your best accomplishment?

My best accomplishment would be disclosing my trauma to my mother because it has given me opportunities I could not have imagined. I have begun the process of healing, and become an author with my mother. My story gives others the courage to speak up enabling them a path towards healing. I am engaging in a cause larger than myself and I use my voice for those who are unable to speak out and talk about the horrific things that take place in their lives at the hands of predators who they once trusted. 
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole


Do you Google yourself?

Yes, after I Am the Product of Rape—A Memoir launched in April of this year from time to time I have googled myself. Each time I have googled myself I have learned something new or found something new that I had not seem the time before. However, I will add that everything you read is not always true and I share that with readers because some people do not have the best intentions when they write about you. For the most part I enjoy googling myself and my mother and reading the positive feedback our fans share. 
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole


How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I Am the Product of Rape A Memoir is the only published book I have done thus far. I have written many poems and short story’s I can’t even count how many. However, I have been writing poems since I was young and my mother has published a few of my poems in a few of her books. 
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

In conjunction with I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir, my daughter and I have developed an interactive Workbook titled #HealingSecretHurts or (#HSH). I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir, #HSH and other tools are used to conduct small to mid-size acquisition sessions which, with attendees, explores the raw subject matters exposed in I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir.  Sessions are implemented in safe, confidential, comfortable environments. Making trauma a priority, my daughter and I listen, believe, and care then encourage, empower and initiate behavior change is our principal. As authors of I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir my daughter and I want to help others in need of healing from trauma.
Written by Catherine Wyatt-Morley


Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?

If I were a princess and could make my kingdom a better place I would, provide health care for free to all my kingdoms people. My mother and I are well aware that mental health stigma is very big reason why people are not willing or able to seek the proper care or in a lot of cases it is a reason why so many have fallen out of care. I would see to it that all were eligible and also it would be law for everyone to have universal healthcare including medical, mental, vision, and dental needs.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole

Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?

I would like to close by telling our readers that it is ok to speak out about the traumas you have endured. It’s ok to seek help regardless of your upbringing or race. It’s important for people to be aware that silence is the gateway to mental health issues and by seeking help you reduce your personal mental health crises dramatically. For those like me that have endured trauma through a mental health facility I say, please do not give up seeking support and help. It took me several attempts to find the therapist that fits best for me and my trauma. Make sure you are seeking a professional whom is skilled in your type of trauma. I didn’t know I should be aware of that so I’ll pass that advice on to those readers whom need it. Lastly, I would say the support of best friends or someone you have a close relationship with is vital. When you’re having rough days healing or days that just seem to be a struggle to make it through that person can carry you when you can’t carry yourself. For me, that person is my best friend, my mentor my amazing mother. I honestly don’t know what would do without her selflessness supporting my grueling mental health issues. She has never complained and is always there having my back.
Written by Jalyon Welsh-Cole




Catherine Wyatt-Morley is the founder, chief executive officer and heartbeat of Women On Maintaining Education and Nutrition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social service organization for the at-risk and HIV-positive community. In 1994, Wyatt-Morley founded Women On Reasons To Heal (W.O.R.T.H.), the first and what has become the oldest HIV-positive women’s support group in Middle Tennessee.

Wyatt-Morley has appeared in countless media outlets nationwide, including SELF Magazine, the Today Show, A&U Magazine, POZ Magazine, CNN, Voices of America, MSNBC, Talk America Radio, FX Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, the Palm Beach Post, the Indianapolis Indiana Recorder, the Los Angeles Times, the Canadian Sun, Nashville Scene, and the Tennessean.

Jalyon Welsh-Cole has been director of Women On Maintaining Education and Nutrition, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit social service organization, since 2010. Welsh-Cole began writing when she was very young, starting with short stories and poems. As a teen, she was inspired to draw, finding comfort and creativity in her art. She joined forces with Wyatt-Morley to share her story in I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR. Together, they also have created #HealingSecretHurts workshops, which bring the spectrum of traumatizing sexual assault into the light.

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