"Mum! He's My Dad!": A Mother Overcoming Abuse by Her Intimate Partner

"Mum! He's my dad!"

These words, spoken by her daughter the day police called, marked the end of Deirdre Fennessy's silence and the beginning of her trek to finally reveal the truth.

Needing solace, on a cool and overcast day, Deirdre walked out on the rocks at the lowest of king low tides. While staring at exposed rocks and sand that don't usually see the light of day, she realised that what was normally covered by the seawater was being revealed. This epiphany showed her it was time to expose her story of abuse.

"Mum, He's My Dad!" is a raw, courageous, and deeply personal account of a woman who endured years of coercion, control, and sexual abuse within her marriage. Through honesty and a fierce love for her family, Deirdre ventually found the strength to redefine her life.

More than a memoir, this book is a tool for other abuse endurers to find ways to heal and overcome trauma, and also for perpetrators to understand the effects of their abuse and how they can potentially repair the damage they have caused themselves and others.