Me, Too: Voicing My Story

The biological vessel that carries me through this life was taken by another, used for their pleasure, and returned to me in a state I didn’t recognize.

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Praise for Me, Too: Voicing My Story

When you finish Me, Too, you will have a full perspective from a survivor of emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse, and rape presented in as transparent a way as one could write. The poem included by the author, “Mute,” shows her experience speaking up in a raw way that resonates with the reader.

Jason Fruits, Producer

Olivia is a shining light in this battle—a beacon of hope. Her strength and courage are inspiring; her determination never-ending. As I read Me, Too, I remembered vividly the betrayal of friends, of not being able to speak up even though I was screaming and protesting on the inside. I felt Olivia’s pain so vividly, not only because I have personal connections to a similar pain, but because she described what it’s like to be a survivor so eloquently while laying responsibility where it belongs. Olivia had the courage to stand up and say, “Me, too” when everyone around her was telling her to sit down…and she continues to boldly stand, unwavering, beginning a new day for the next generation.

-Laura Parks, author of Under to Broken Halo

Castetter’s Me, Too is raw, compassionate, and self-reflective, as it gently guides the reader through the author’s life, highlighting the connections between what society teaches young girls and boys and the resulting proliferation of sexual violence. This book is a powerful guidebook for survivors and non-survivors alike, exposing the roots of sexual abuse and assault, laying bare the destruction that occurs in the aftermath, and then demonstrating with her own story that personal healing and societal change are, in fact, within reach.

-Katherine Turner, author of resilient

Olivia Castetter’s memoir, Me, Too, tells the eye-opening story of a girl taught very early on in life that it is her job to be sweet and kind to anyone and everyone regardless of their behaviors. This erred concept followed her throughout her youth and well into young adulthood, as she fell victim to grooming, assault, and rape on multiple occasions. Constantly questioning and doubting the severity of what she actually went through, Olivia reveals the several hardships victims of sexual violence face. She does so in the most empowering way, giving rise to the survivor in us all. Through the years since her assault, Olivia decided that she not owe her silence to anyone, resulting in her powerful account of how she found her voice. And most importantly, how she is using it today. Me, Too is the type of memoir that will resonate deeply with those walking any path of life. As a fellow survivor, Olivia beautifully dictated my very thoughts, allowing me to once again take comfort in also saying, “me, too.” 

-Rachael Brooks, author of Beads: A Memoir About Falling Apart and Putting Yourself Back Together Again

Me, Too, a memoir by Olivia Castetter, is the extraordinary story of a young girl who grew up with the understanding that she was not allowed to have personal boundaries. She was taught that boys will be boys and it was her responsibility to protect them from their own desires. If she didn’t, she must have been to blame. This fallacy of responsibility coupled with her early years of grooming and abuse at the hands of her family set the stage for numerous instances of abuse, assault, and rape during her teenage and young adult life. Growing up with blurred boundaries about her right to consent, she questioned herself and her reality constantly, these doubts often reinforced by the institutions in her life that were supposed to be safe spaces. Slowly finding her way with determination and a few safe people, she began to heal, she began to work, and she learned she wasn’t alone. Feeling a passion to help others and embracing the knowledge that she owes no one her silence, she sat down and began to write. Hers is a story that will resonate with all of us; it is an empowering journey of survival, of self-discovery, and of healing.

-Shanon Page, writer, advocate, and survivor

“Me, Too” is a perfect example of the healing that can be achieved through solidarity and sharing of abuse survivor experiences. It shows that every personal story has value and gives those who may be seeking permission the courage to stand up, join the movement, and add their “me” to the “too.”

Kayli Baker, editor

In her memoir, Me, Too: Voicing My Story, Olivia Castetter draws the oft ignored connection between what we teach our children and sexual assault. She brings the reader inside the mind of a survivor, telling them not just what was done, but how she felt and why she felt the way she did. She doesn’t just leave you there, though, but also shows that healing is possible and that cultural change to end sexual assault is obtainable. Me, Too is a must-read—not just for survivors, but for anyone.

-Scott MacDonald, Founder, End of the Innocence