Celebrity hot topic rised after one and another. But this time, something is different. This is not a cheating scandal. This did not start as a viral clip. This is a 200ish-page book, delicately written. It was made free online and in two languages to spread the word, something that began as her personal therapeutic tool, evolved into a catalyst for others, and ultimately became a conversation. It arrived at the right time.
Support for Broken Strings, a memoir self-published by Aurelie Moremans, flooded timelines. It unravels her own story of surviving the physical, emotional, and financial abuse by her ex-boyfriend, who was 14 years older than her and met her when she was 15. It snowballed as the said ex showed up to clarify, which further verified the writings and turned him into a meme, raising the popularity of the book, child-grooming and trauma issues, and unfortunately, himself.
Now that we see the supportive responses, we might take for granted the courage it took before her story became what it is today. She may have millions of followers built over time through her acting, singing, and seasonally viral skits. However, she spoke about this many years ago in infotainment, when it was not received as warmly. People forgot about it until it resurfaced again with such detail. In the Gen-Z’s dan late millennials’ defense: “sorry Aurelie we were still kids back then”.
We often hear the sentiment that victims should speak as soon as possible, neglecting the fact that fresh wounds take time to heal, and that the right support is not always immediately available. In Aurelie’s case, she is now geographically safe, holds more power through influence and fame, is psychologically recovered, and was supported at a moment when a generation had begun to wake up to these issues.
Without discrediting her courage and perhaps calculated strategy for this healing, this case became one of a few positive samples where the victim or survivor is heard and validated, among many that had to be submerged under the radar. We can only hope that this becomes a reflection for people to pay attention and be present to the closest circle who might struggle in private, suppressing the haunting past that lies at the core of shame.
As time passed, the wave continued, and it seems that more people are speaking up. At this stage, it is important to suppress our tendency to judge those who join the mainstream, as there is nothing wrong or uncool with collective courage. We should listen with the same energy of support to not be part of the problem. Just because it is becoming more visible does not mean that joining the wave of support erases the pitch-black, traumatic world the survivor has been carrying for years.
