The Daily O’Collegian

An author from Enid wants to help others heal from memories of child abuse.

C.J. Rock said she hopes to bring child abuse survivors out of the shadows with her book, “Shaken to the Core.”

Rock spoke at Kerr-Drummond in the fall and has done several book signings in the Student Union this semester.

She will be at her spot outside the Student Union store Chapters off and on until the middle of April and will speak at a Women’s History brown bag event in March.

Rock is a friendly, energetic woman who offers a hug the minute she’s introduced to anyone. It’s hard to believe she spent much of her life dealing with suppressed memories of child abuse.

“Shaken to the Core” describes Rock’s journey to healing after she accepted during therapy that she had been abused in her childhood.

Healing can take a long time, Rock said.

“My platform is child abuse can cast a shadow the length of a lifetime,” Rock said. “You’re robbed of your dignity and my message is you’re taking back your power, you can live triumphantly.”

Rock said the book was cathartic. Her world changed when she accepted the memories.

“Everything near and dear to me was gone, disappearing before my eyes,” she said. “I was betrayed by the people who professed to love me. I had to heal — to teach myself I was worth fighting for.”

Rock self-published the book and self-promoted it.

“I went everywhere, called everybody and marketed the book myself,” she said. “Anything to get this message out. We’re so bound by labels. Are we going to rise up and move out of it or are we going to let it beat us down?”

Rock said her daughter and husband are proud of her for publishing her book, which is on its third printing.

The Chapters bookstore has sold copies of “Shaken to the Core” during Rock’s book signings.

Shawn Bowman, Student Union retail merchandising assistant, said the book, which is in the Chapters store’s “Self-help” section, has sold 78 copies since January.

“She was out here a lot and she’ll be here again on March 11,” Bowman said.

Gloria Birdine, coordinator of Women’s Programs, first invited Rock to campus for her book signing days.

“My supervisor told her to call me,” Birdine said. “I thought, ‘This woman has something that makes her want to help people change their lives.’”

Birdine said she was impressed Rock suggested coming from Enid to Stillwater for free.

“She’s not thinking about money, she came and she was willing to come without charge,” Birdine said. “She has a message and it’s a real-life story. She’s willing to help people in any way possible to be survivors, not victims.”

Students and faculty reacted to Rock’s presentation at Kerr-Drummond, Birdine said.

“Oh, gosh … those who could relate got really emotional,” Birdine said. “They had questions for her afterwards and they connected with her immediately, those who were abuse victims or knew someone who was.”

Rock said sexual abuse survivors deal with a different pain.

“Molestation is a cowardly, heinous crime, and when it’s a peer or a relative, it’s beyond evil,” she said.

Rock said people all over the state have responded to her book.

“People have written thanking me for writing their story. I’ve met so many amazing people,” she said. “Many people I’ve talked to had never talked about (being abused) before my book came out. There’s a fear factor. There’s a stigma of shame when a child is abused; it’s like you’ve grown a third foot.”

Birdine said Rock’s life can help as much as her book.

“She’s awesome,” Birdine said. “She’s unique in the sense that she wants to help somebody.”

Rock has “27 tips for healing’ in her book and said she uses the tips every day.

“I live those,” she said. “I made a list of what I had done to heal so others could do it. They helped me emerge triumphant to find my voice.”

Rock said the books have sold in California, Nevada, Illinois (her home state) New York and New Jersey, but she didn’t focus on sales as much as helping readers.

“My goal with coming here wasn’t just to sell the book,” Rock said. “My goal with this walk was to sell my message that hope is attainable and teach people to move forward.”

Rock showed her willingness to help on one of the days she signed books.

A young man came up to Rock’s table, asked for her autograph on his copy of “Shaken to the Core” and as he was leaving told her the book was for a woman he knew.

Rock waved him back, gave him another card with her e-mail and cell phone number on it and said, “Tell her to give me a call — I come with the book.”