Hong Kong singer and therapist writes song for survivors of sexual violence
- Eunice Yeung is a therapist specialising in support for trauma survivors, and a singer/songwriter
- Her new song, Lily, honours survivors of sexual violence and the work of mental health professionals
Eunice Yeung places her hands on her belly – she is seven months pregnant with her first child. “I’m having a boy and all I want is for him to grow up respecting women.”
She’s heard many stories where that has not been the case.
Yeung is a Hong Kong-based therapist specialising in support for trauma survivors. As well as running her own private practice she works as a part-time counsellor at RainLily, the city’s first sexual violence crisis centre for women.
“The girls that come to RainLily for support bravely share personal and traumatic stories,” she says.
As a way to honour both the resilience of survivors of sexual violence who come to RainLily to heal, and the tireless work of mental health professionals, Yeung has released Lily, a song she wrote and sang under the artist name Count the Leaves.
“It is a way for me to remember some of these girls’ transformations and what a privilege it is to be able to witness that,” she says.
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Lily is the second single off the 32-year-old’s five-song debut EP “This World Can Hold”, which will be released on Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms on August 13.
The song’s opening lyrics are powerful:
She came in looking cold and afraid
When the elevator door opened she looked both ways
She said, ‘Life can turn on a dime
When I was 10, he pushed in and took what was mine.’”
“The first verse is about the fear that many survivors of sexual violence have to face,” says Yeung. “After experiencing such a sudden and confusing violation, it is natural to feel unsafe, to feel that danger is just behind the door even after the traumatic event.
“One of the first things I do with clients is normalise this fear. It’s a protective mechanism, not a pathological reaction. Helping them face and undo the shame of feeling like what happened was their fault is also an important part of the therapeutic process.”
Yeung wants society to stop stigmatising those who have experienced sexual abuse, a widespread problem in Hong Kong, she says. RainLily’s latest campaign, #OneinSeven, is a reference to the proportion of women in the city who have experienced sexual violence.
“Victim blaming intensifies the hurt of what already was a very painful experience,” says Yeung. “Many who have been sexually abused are told they should not have been drunk, or that they should not have stayed out late.”
Shame also plays a role in keeping survivors from reaching out. “Those who were sexually assaulted as a child have been told it shouldn’t affect them now that they are older, or that they should be over it already,” she says. “Many families also feel shame and they don’t want their child seeking help, so they keep it a secret.”
“It’s a complicated combination of cultural and societal standards that we have to change.”
For more information, visit rainlily.org.hk
