Thanks again, everyone, for your interest in my novel!
One of the most difficult things for me to write about in A Thousand Kisses was Hélène’s molestation by her step-father. It seems particularly topical to blog about this part of the story this week as we’ve watched the #MeToo movement gain momentum recently and was named Time magazine’s person of the year in their December 18 issue.
In A Thousand Kisses, Hélène’s mother, Charlotte, divorces her husband, Hélène’s biological father, Emil Aubry. Charlotte marries M Collard, a Captain in the military, when Hélène is 9 years old. M Collard begins paying more attention to Hélène than her two younger sisters, giving her gifts of money. Her mother praises this interest, consciously or unconsciously setting up the conditions where Hélène feels beholden to her step-father’s authority in the patriarchal household, and his special treatment goes unchecked.
As M Collard’s attentions cross the line into unwanted sexual advances, and ultimately, rape, Hélène has no power or resources or even the vocabulary to talk about the molestation with anyone who would believe her or help her. Certainly, her mother had a vested interest in turning a blind eye, supporting her husband and provider, which in turn enabled a disastrous triangle of duplicity and secrecy to escalate. The result was a daughter, Lili, born when Hélène was 18. She never revealed the name of the father, unwittingly protecting him.
I can’t really imagine the shame and financial difficulty of having a child out of wedlock in 1908 France. Hélène must have felt terribly vulnerable, thrust into adulthood without a husband or father to protect her. Her step-father’s selfish behaviour dictated the course of her life: her mother throws her out of the family home as soon as she discovers she is pregnant; Hélène moves to Paris to work as a housekeeper, looking after five children; and she ultimately moves to Saint-Pétersbourg to work as a governess to pay for Lili’s expenses.
Sadly, children and women are still at the mercy of men in authority positions today. But the more we encourage them to speak out about sexual assault, and the more the world takes notice and listens, the greater our ability will be to break this pattern of abuse.
Sobering thoughts on a sobering topic.
