Aspen Matis and her husband Justin had only been married three years when he went missing. On a cold November morning, he kissed Aspen goodbye and left to attend the funeral of a close friend but never came back.
She and Justin had met walking from Mexico to Canada when she was thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, using the 2,650-mile journey to help her reclaim her body and spirit after being raped* freshman year of college**.
Aspen's first memoir Girl in the Woods is the story of that experience and her recovery which she wrote to heal and help spread awareness of the prevalence of campus assault. Her new memoir Your Blue is Not My Blue-A Missing Person Memoir is the story of how in searching for her husband she discovered a deeper purpose.
In this episode, Aspen shares what she's learned about happiness, the role creativity and writing have played in recognizing her place in the world, and how she's moved from a feeling of powerlessness to strength.
*Rape is the only violent felony that is almost never prosecuted. Only 3% of rape cases end in conviction
**Between one in four and one in five female students will be raped during their undergraduate educations.
Connect with Aspen:
Website
Rape Abuse & Incest National Network
Connect With Ronit:
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