I Didn't Know I Was Raped
Charissa Campes
Site Founder and Author
Hi Everyone! Under the About the Blog Section, you can find more information on why I started the Blog. I'll share a little about myself now, starting with my books.
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I am a writer and working on a memoir titled "I Didn't Know I Was Raped: The Psychological Unraveling of Trauma." I am concurrently working on a poetry book of the same name. I am not writing it to just tell my story. It's been 22 years. So much more has happened than just that one day. The psychological impact and journey of an unacknowledged rape is a story in itself. THAT is the story I want to tell. That is how I help others- by talking about the pieces of my story that no one talks about.
Not just a writer...
I am a mom of 3, including 2 teens and an adult. Well, one of those teens is about to become an adult, too. Life truly does fly by. It has gone by too fast. We live in a small town in SC. We enjoy summer days at the lake and sleeping in! Travel is pretty difficult with the rescue. We also have 6 dogs and 4 snakes.
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I find solace as the founder of a cat rescue and sanctuary. We help as many cats as possible, and put focus on those with emergency medical needs. Those that can't be adopted out become our Misfits and have a place to live out their lives. I didn't know that I was a cat person until I was 39. Pretty crazy how we continue to learn about ourselves over time.
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I was a successful real estate agent before I took a sabbatical to start CATastrophe Upstate Rescue. Then I started writing my book. I loved real estate at times, and the income was much better than the negative income you receive when running a nonprofit, but if I could write and survive off of that for the rest of my life then that is what I would choose to do.
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I wanted to be an actress and a gymnast when I was younger. I did not get to do either one. I grew up very poor. However, I can still watch gymnastics and movies. I am hoping to find the opportunity to start performing slam poetry, and then I can get in some stage time!
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My partner in crime is Jason. He's the hardest working person that I have ever known. He is such a good supporter of me and of the rescue. In a million lifetimes, I could never pay him back.