A Mother's Love Ignites Her Courage to Find Freedom
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Unveiling a new life of freedom for my daughters
Hidden Calling is a Memoir by Alicia Thriver that chronicles how a loving mother escapes from Kuwait with her two daughters. 
MEDIA BIO Alicia Thriver is the author of the upcoming book, Hidden Calling: A Mother's Courage Unveiled. Alicia was raised in the U.S. in a multi-cultural Muslim family. After a semi-arranged marriage, she moved to the Middle-East where she raised her two daughters for nine years. As her daughters matured, she feared her trauma and conformity to cultural norms based on honor, duty, fear and shame, would silence her daughter's and constrict their futures. When Alicia’s motherly love ignites her courage to speak up, she is faced with violence and the threat of losing her daughters entirely. Ultimately, Alicia risked everything to flee Kuwait to give her daughters the freedom to live their own lives. |
Alicia Thriver |
Author of Hidden Calling: A Mother's Love and Courage Unveiled
SHORT MEDIA BIO Alicia Thriver is an author, speaker, and advocate for abuse prevention and awareness. Her upcoming memoir, Hidden Calling: A Mother's Courage Unveiled, follows her harrowing escape from the Middle East to protect her two young daughters. She fled so her past of being silenced and abused would not be their future. Now, Alicia is calling for a safer world for women and girls to live in by teaching others how to recognize and emerge from all forms of abuse, both seen and unseen. FOLLOW Instagram: @hiddencalling Facebook.com/aliciathriver |
Alicia Thriver
Who I Was
I used to be a different woman. There were parts of that woman's life I loved. But I knew the parts that mattered had to change for my daughter's sake. I lived in the Middle East for almost 9 years when the shift happened. It was as if my life went from black and white to seeing color. Suddenly I wanted to be outside the hard lines that were drawn around me. Most of all I wanted out of my 13 year marriage so my children wouldn't endure the same trauma I experienced. But my ex threatened to take my kids to Lebanon if I tried to divorce him. How was I to unravel myself from it all? Kuwait laws favor men in divorce, and even if there is violence police can side with the husband. When I tried to get help from the American Embassy, they refused to issue my daughters new passports. There were no safe houses in Kuwait. How was I to change if I couldn't get out? I risked it all so I could.
I used to be a different woman. There were parts of that woman's life I loved. But I knew the parts that mattered had to change for my daughter's sake. I lived in the Middle East for almost 9 years when the shift happened. It was as if my life went from black and white to seeing color. Suddenly I wanted to be outside the hard lines that were drawn around me. Most of all I wanted out of my 13 year marriage so my children wouldn't endure the same trauma I experienced. But my ex threatened to take my kids to Lebanon if I tried to divorce him. How was I to unravel myself from it all? Kuwait laws favor men in divorce, and even if there is violence police can side with the husband. When I tried to get help from the American Embassy, they refused to issue my daughters new passports. There were no safe houses in Kuwait. How was I to change if I couldn't get out? I risked it all so I could.
Statistics
1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors (e.g. slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases might not be considered "domestic violence." (https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS)
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.5
Between 21-60% of victims of intimate partner violence lose their jobs due to reasons stemming from the abuse.6
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.5
Between 21-60% of victims of intimate partner violence lose their jobs due to reasons stemming from the abuse.6
Thriving
Finding your purpose
I realized I had to follow my own Hidden Calling even if that meant going against what I was taught, my family belief system, and cultural norms. Now I inspire women to find their own empowered Self by sharing my story.
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Follow a Mother's journey to end abuse after a flight to freedom that got her and her kids out
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