Giving Voice to My Silence — My Struggle for Respect from Venezuela to Syria is a truthful memoir, vividly describing Montaha Hidefi's contrasting childhood struggle with mental manipulation and physical abuse at the hands of her own mother, social prejudice, and the sense of belonging in her country of birth, Venezuela, with her youthful battle with intimidation, social rejection, and violence while getting through with cultural shock in the country of her parents, Syria.
This is an inspiring story of self-determination, resilience and growth of a young woman who refused to identify with the abuse and transformed her life to achieving success on more than one level. Through sheer willpower, she pursued higher education and rose to the level of global executive.
Battling with mental health and seeking to be respected as a female and human being, the author's pain is profoundly palpable as she recalls the emotional rollercoaster of a childhood shattered by inequality, and of decades of unwelcome advances, groping and assault, and even attempted murder.
By sharing her struggle to coping with mental health and grappling with internal demons that resulted in phobias and rebellion to break social patterns, the author inspires and motivates the reader to overcome their own obstacles and build the life they desire.
Giving Voice to My Silence — My Struggle for Respect from Venezuela to Syria is a new edition of Montaha Hidefi's Groping for Truth — My Uphill Struggle for Respect, published in 2018. Along with a new title, this second edition includes updated and new information based on a recently found journal kept by the author during professional therapy in 1994. It also includes a new chapter to reflect current times and coping mechanisms following the death of both her parents.
