The spoken word artist said that her father raped her at the age of 12 and went on to have his child when she was only 16 years old. She also said one of her sons was sexually assaulted as an infant. However, Fluellen shows no sign of bitterness and resentment. She said that were it not for what happened to her, she would have never been in the position to help others gain their freedom.
The event also speaks to a larger issue of incest in mainstream society. Fluellen points out that incest is rarely, if ever, discussed openly because so many people are fearful about coming forward. Victims think they will be disbelieved, blamed, or punished if they report the abuse. Moreover, the perpetrator involved may hold a position of power and authority which influences the victim to remain silent despite the pain and suffering they experience. However, Fluellen hopes to reverse that trend by sharing with others her incredible story of breakthrough and triumph.
According to a study done by leading researcher, David Finckelhor, 1,000,000 Americans are victims of father-daughter incest. However, cases of incest often go under-reported.
Event attendees were invited to share poetry of their own. One city man, Todd Evans, recited two of his pieces. Topics ranging from hip hop to inner city struggles were on display Saturday afternoon at the local bookstore. Children and adults alike were in attendance.
Classics Bookstore owner, Laurice Reynolds, said, events like these are important because they bring a lot of people downtown. Classics has regular community events, to learn more about them feel free to contact Eric Maywar at (609) 394-8000.
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