Told from the perspective of South African girls and women who have been the victims of abuse, these contest-winning poems, short stories, and personal essays come from established writers as well as fresh new talents. Based on the idea that creative writing aids the healing process, these selections describe the struggle to survive, the difficulty of reconciling past and present lives, and the enduring nature of the human spirit. The illustrations for the book are provided by participants of Naledi Yamiso, a POWA project that combines art classes with counseling.