On July 4, 1990, a tranquil summer afternoon in rural France turned into a harrowing ordeal for American academics Thomas Trezise and Susan Brison. The couple, both assistant professors—Trezise in French at Princeton University and Brison in philosophy at Dartmouth College—had recently arrived at a farmhouse owned by a French colleague. Brison went for a morning walk and did not return for more than two hours, prompting growing alarm.
When Trezise’s colleague returned running down the road and shouting, Trezise realized immediately something was seriously wrong. An ambulance awaited at the gate, carrying Brison in an almost unrecognizable condition—swollen, bruised, and bloodied, with severe head injuries and barely open eyes. Despite her critical state, Brison reassured her husband with a hoarse, “I’ll be OK.”
The trauma inflicted on Brison was the result of a violent assault by a local man, who was later identified, convicted, and sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and attempted murder. Brison’s detailed hospital deposition recounts the attack: she was grabbed from behind, choked, beaten, and left for dead in a muddy ravine after feigning unconsciousness.
The attack not only devastated Brison but profoundly affected Trezise, who stayed by her side throughout her hospital recovery. Battling his own fear and anger, he became her primary advocate and protector during those critical weeks. Trezise’s memoir, “Beginning Again,” offers a rare perspective on the experience of a spouse coping with a partner’s sexual assault and near-fatal attack.
In the days following the assault, Brison was unable to speak due to a fractured trachea, and both she and Trezise were prescribed sedatives to endure the overwhelming stress. Trezise describes the tension of maintaining composure in public while grappling with intense private emotions, noting the struggle to balance his desire to “fix” the situation with the reality that healing was a long and complex process.
Back in the United States, the couple faced further challenges to their relationship and individual recovery. Brison’s trust in the world was severely damaged, while Trezise found it difficult to reconcile his own emotions and provide the support he believed she needed. Both sought therapy and support—Brison through survivors’ groups and Trezise through counseling, which he credits as essential to maintaining his ability to care for his wife.
Their ordeal also underscored broader societal issues around sexual violence and the experiences of those close to survivors. Trezise reflects on the often-silent burden carried by partners of survivors, emphasizing that sexual violence is “a problem for humanity,” not solely a “woman’s problem.” He also describes the emotional barriers men face in expressing vulnerability in such situations.
Despite the immense trauma, the couple found a path toward healing. Four years after the attack, they welcomed their son Gabriel, whom Trezise describes as a symbol of renewal and hope. The birth of their child marked a new chapter in their lives and offered a shared source of joy amid the lingering challenges.
Both Trezise and Brison have since contributed to public discourse on trauma and recovery. Brison published her account in the early 1990s, including the book “Aftermath,” exploring how to find meaning after profound moral disruption. Encouraged by Brison, Trezise later wrote about his own journey, shedding light on the often-unspoken experiences of loved ones of assault survivors.
Their story is a testament to resilience and the complex dynamics of recovery after violence, highlighting the importance of support networks and the slow process of rebuilding trust, intimacy, and normalcy in the aftermath of trauma.