THE FIGHT

Breathing the Night Out: A Story of Intergenerational Sexual Violence and Healing

From the age of three until my 18th year, I was repeatedly sexually assaulted by numerous people.

Breathing the Night Out is a raw, unflinching memoir that spans 95 years of my family’s history—incest, murder, addiction, homelessness, incarceration—and, against all odds, finds space for love, justice, and healing.

I am not alone. 1 in 4 people are, or will be, sexually assaulted as children or youth. In Canada, that means more than 10 million people live with the same trauma I carry. Globally, the number rises beyond 2 billion; children who were abused and grew into adults still fighting for breath.

If we were in the United States, the number would first appear to be more than 83 million people. But we can’t use 1 in 4 for America—their rate is 1 in 5, not 1 in 4. That means the real number is 66.6 million people. And yet, if the U.S. had Canada’s 1 in 4 rate, the number wouldn’t be 66.6 million. It would explode to 83.25 million survivors.

Compared to our neighbours down south, child sexual violence is 25% higher in Canada.

What number do we need to reach before Canada’s healthcare system provides real mental health support; support that doesn’t just hand out pills to numb the pain, but helps us truly heal?

This book came at a cost; emotionally, financially, and spiritually. When those costs are met, part of the proceeds will go to The Gatehouse, a Toronto-based charity dedicated to supporting survivors of childhood sexual violence. The Gatehouse believed in me when I no longer believed in myself. They helped me rise, and they put me back in the fight.

Together, we heal.

Together, we breathe the night out.

*** Gender

It’s vital to look at how crimes against humanity target gender.

In Canada: 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday.

Let that sink in. These aren’t just numbers—they’re kids. Silenced. Carrying trauma into adulthood.

Call to Action
Here’s the truth: Indigenous, Black, Asian, Disabled, and Trans children are hit even harder. The stats are higher—but you won’t easily find those numbers. Why? Because nobody in power wants to count them.

Silence is violence.

We cannot stay silent. We must:

• Speak
• Act
• Demand accountability

Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and protected.

Here’s my challenge:
If you’re thinking about grad school, a thesis, or a PhD—pick this up. Run with it. Dig until the data can’t be ignored. Build the evidence that forces Canada (and the world) to face the full truth.

Until we name it, count it, and confront it, the violence keeps winning.