Germiston author tells life struggles in a book
The Germiston resident claims that she was sexually abused by a family member from the age of eight until she became pregnant at 17.
Florence Wanjiru, founder of the Pruning 2 Perfection Foundation (P2PF) and author of My Silence is Costly shared her story about writing the book.
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The book is a heartbreaking narration in which Florence tells the story of her triumphs and struggles, from her childhood and upbringing to the woman she is today.
The Germiston resident claims that she was sexually abused by a family member from the age of eight until she became pregnant at 17.
Today she is a qualified social worker, businesswoman, motivational speaker, and author.
Her passion lies in child development and career mentoring, a passion that is greatly influenced by her upbringing.
She does most of her work through her foundation, P2P and the Early Childhood Development Centre both based in Germiston.
The title according to Florence is self-explanatory and she added that by keeping quiet, she allowed trauma to consume her.
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“I reasoned that it would be costly if I remained silent about the effects of rape and abortion,” said Florence.
She said that soon after becoming pregnant at 17 with her abuser’s baby, she told her family about the real father’s identity. They were shocked to discover the truth, but he did not atone for his actions.
“I was told to get an abortion which I did. The book is meant to encourage and lift others, especially young people who have experienced sexual abuse. If I didn’t discuss these dynamics, it would be costly,” said Florence.
“The idea for the book came in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic’s first lockdown. I had returned from a funeral held where I grew up.
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That place brought back painful memories that nobody knew about. I found myself looking at the same walls that heard and saw my terror by night.
“It was scary at first to pen down everything from my past.
“I had to relive the experience and take myself back to when it first happened.
Florence feared that, as a born-again Christian, she would be judged and expelled from her church.
“I was obedient to the call regardless. Today I see a victor, not someone acting out their brokenness. I had to forgive myself and learn how to love myself again,” said Florence.
“When I wrote the book, my husband was supportive. We started to have real conversations about our past. Opening up to each other allowed us to both heal from the wounds of our pasts.
“The last chapter of the book is my favourite chapter. It is a chapter of hope with limitless possibilities.
“The repairer highlights that I am at a point where I want to take responsibility and accountability in life,” said Florence.
