She Wasn't Damaged

She Wasn't Damaged is Hagit Vardi's third book. The poems depict the process of awakening to childhood scenes of molestation by her father, and reveal the internal voices Hagit discovers in the journey: The damaged baby who retreats from the world; the vengeful sixteen-year-old who uses writing as a weapon; the self-doubting woman who demands proof; and the angry chorus who refuse to make peace. The journey continues in the voice of a woman who gradually accepts her vulnerabilities. In an epilogue consisting of selected poems from Vardi's fourth book, The Sea Is Your Witness, we meet the mature woman at last able to welcome her ghosts, put the blame where it belongs, and move forward with hope and trust.

The book includes poems in the original Hebrew, along with the English translation created in collaboration with Daphna Ben Yosef.

This collection gives us a glimpse into the emotional and physical world of those who survive sexual abuse-the self-doubt, self-blame, anger, shame, and despair that arise from the struggle between the need to know and the fear of knowing. While these poems serve as a voice for survivors, they also enlighten us about the intense and lasting effects of abuse, and have deservedly drawn the attention of Israeli mental health professionals and assistance centers for victims of sexual abuse.