Listen to today's episode featuring Babs Walters
After holding onto a dark secret for nearly 70 years, an abuse survivor finds healing in sharing her story.
Palm Beach, FL –For fans of “The Glass Castle” and “Educated,” an abuse survivor-turned-advocate examines the full circle of generational trauma, resilience, and healing in “Facing the Jaguar” (She Writes Press, June 17, 2025).
The average person can keep a secret for forty-seven hours. Babs Walters held onto the worst kind of secret for nearly 70 years.
Since age 11, Babs suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father. His edict–children should be seen and not heard–defined her childhood. Desperate to be loved and seeking approval, Babs absorbed both the responsibility and the shame that was not hers to begin with.
Now, decades later, Babs Walters shows us how uncovering the truth is a critical step to healing. “Facing the Jaguar” is an inspirational story of resilience and courage—a story that proves anything is possible when we claim our truth and shine a light in even the darkest of places. As Babs says, “We are not what happens to us. We are the meaning and purpose we give to what happens to us.”
Babs Walters, author of “Facing the Jaguar” (She Writes Press, June 17, 2025), a powerful memoir on surviving childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in which Babs shares her story of healing after 70 years of secrecy.
Babs is a seasoned public speaker with RAINN’s speakers bureau, and she’d be a great fit for an interview discussing child safety, generational trauma and speaking out as a necessary step toward healing.
Since age 11, Babs suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father. His edict–children should be seen and not heard–defined her childhood. Desperate to be loved and seeking approval, Babs absorbed both the responsibility and the shame that was not hers to begin with. Now, decades later, Babs Walters shows us how uncovering the truth is a critical step to healing. “Facing the Jaguar” is an inspirational story of resilience and courage—a story that proves anything is possible when we claim our truth and shine a light in even the darkest of places. As Babs says, “We are not what happens to us. We are the meaning and purpose we give to what happens to us.”
Babs Walters is a speaker, advocate, and author as well as a survivor of domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse. She brings difficult subjects to the surface through the power of storytelling. With a Masters’ in Counseling Human Relations, Walters developed creative, healing, journal-writing workshops for women in alcohol and drug recovery. During her corporate career, she led workshops on Preventing Sexual Harassment and continues to teach women to raise their voices today. Babs lives in Florida where she teaches Jazzercize and enjoys time with family. Learn more at: www.babswalters.com
Contact: Jackie Karneth
jackie@booksforward.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Facing the Jaguar: A Memoir of Courage and Confrontation
Babs Walters | June 17, 2025 | She Writes Press | Nonfiction, Memoir
Praise for “Facing the Jaguar"
“In this honest and raw memoir, Walters exposes a secret that burdens the souls of countless children–because most don't tell. Her story is a plea to all adults to believe and help the courageous children who do tell. An important and brave journey from a frightened child to an empowered woman.”
–Feather Berkower, M.S.W., Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Educator and author of “Off Limits: A Parent's Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse”
“‘Facing the Jaguar’ is one of the few books that will hold you spellbound from the very first page to the last. Walters is a beautiful writer and I look forward to reading more of her work. I also applaud her bravery, courage, and strength in sharing her story.
–Readers’ Favorite
“‘Facing the Jaguar’ is a powerful story of reclamation. Without offering advice or excuses, Walters’ reveals what it takes to heal. This is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand a survivor’s journey or for survivors looking for healing and hope.”
–Jane Epstein, author of “I Feel Real Guilty: A Memoir of Sibling Sexual Abuse”
“‘Facing the Jaguar’ is a chilling, honest account of parental abuse, but it is also a story of hope, tenacity and the belief that with hard work and a determination to understand, the cycle of generational trauma can be terminated.”
–Patti Eddington, author of “The Girl with Three Birthdays: An Adopted Daughter’s Memoir of Tiaras, Tough Truths and Tall Tales”
About the author…
Babs Walters: is a speaker, advocate, and author as well as a survivor of domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse. She brings difficult subjects to the surface through the power of storytelling.
With a Masters’ in Counseling Human Relations, Walters developed creative, healing, journal-writing workshops for women in alcohol and drug recovery. During her corporate career, she led workshops on Preventing Sexual Harassment and continues to teach women to raise their voices today.
Babs lives in Florida where she teaches Jazzercize and enjoys time with family. Learn more about her life and work at www.babswalters.com and on Instagram @walters.babs
In an interview, Babs Walters can discuss:
- How holding onto secrets causes us harm, and why it’s important to share stories of abuse as a path toward healing
- How we should talk about generational trauma and ways to put a stop to cycles of abuse
- What she wants people to know about child safety
- How to forgive without compromising on boundaries
- Steps we can all take to find healing after life-changing pain
RESOURCES
General resources for family secret keepers
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
www.ndvh.org
National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
www.rainn.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255 (TALK)www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
