In the Fig Tree

About the Book

On average, someone in Pennsylvania dies every three days, as a result of domestic violence. Four women in the United States are murdered each day by an intimate male partner.

In the Fig Tree is the result of a forum in which the voices of victims of domestic violence could be heard directly. They gathered; they laughed; they cried; they wrote. As you turn the pages of this book, what comes through are the voices of a group of survivors whom Pittsburgh's Crisis Center North has had the privilege of serving. Often, they choose not to speak of their respective victimization directly, but do so in less blatant, often more creative ways, capturing the impact that violence has had on their lives.

In the Fig Tree is a book which helped its creators understand and derive meaning from the violence that changed their lives forever, while giving readers a unique glimpse into their world. It is a book which honors the voice of the survivor and the story that she tells.

All proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to Crisis Center North to provide free services to victims and to fund violence prevention education.

About the Author

Grace Coleman is the Executive Director of Crisis Center North, past Western Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the recipient of numerous state and national awards for her work in domestic violence.

Amanda Denman is a volunteer at Crisis Center North through the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and AmeriCorps and the director of ?Feminist Exploration & Interpretation of Women in Violence? the workshop which resulted in this publication.

John Chapin is Communications Program Head for Penn State University?s Commonwealth College, past president of the Pennsylvania Communication Association, and author of numerous scholarly articles on violence prevention.