In all three of my published novels, I have made an effort to feature women who show compelling strength and independence while overcoming traumatic circumstances. These women decide not to be the victim and instead take their lives and the lives of those around them into their own hands. In particular, my protagonist Emily Stone devotes practically her entire existence to tracking down the predators that exist in her area and bringing them to justice. She is a woman who refuses to play the victim. With this focus in my work, I am always interested to read news stories in which a female takes charge and fights back.
Last week, 18-year-old Summer Eaton was allegedly taken by gunpoint from a gas station by 57-year-old Stephen Cronk in Mount Juliet, Tennessee and driven to a hotel room in Mississippi. Eaton managed to get her hands on the gun and shot her attacker in the stomach. Cronk was later found in his car and appeared to have died from his wounds.
Eaton apparently got into Cronk’s truck willingly, already knowing him in some capacity, but was soon restrained with duct tape while being held at gun point. She has since been reunited with family.
There already have been questions being raised concerning why she got into this man’s vehicle and what the exact nature of their relationship was prior to this incident, but the important detail at this point is that Summer Eaton is alive and escaped a horrible ordeal.
Any safety expert will tell you that there is a right and a wrong way to fight back against your attacker. You don’t want to put yourself in any more danger and I understand the fact that the opportunity to take action is not always there. I am just thankful in this instance that the young woman made it back to Tennessee safe and sound.
What would you do?
* * *
Blog: www.authorjenniferchase.com/
Website: www.jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch Blog: www.emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk: www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase/
Books: Compulsion = Dead Game = Silent Partner = Screenwriting
Author Jennifer Chase 
I’ve always looked forward to your postings. You’ve enlightened me in many areas. Today you commented on women taking their lives into their own hands. Thats the approach I took in Emily’s Run. The book is gaining reccognition and I hope it will always carry the message. If you want, I’d be honored to send you a copy.
LikeLike
noone can understand until you are in that position.this child did what she had to do.i commened her.she will forever be traumitized.if you dont know her dont judge her.i do know her and love her dearly.she would not have done this unless she thought her life was in danger.
LikeLike
I kno summer well also and this young mother became friends with steve, whom i’ve known for 4 years, and looked to him as a father figure. She was the only one who helped him after he had a heart attack just a couple weeks b4 this incident. Steve had to have taken her caring for him as a true friend and turned it into some kind of twisted relationship in his mind! Summer is a caring, loving, responsible young mother who worked very hard…i thank god that she found the courage to kno wat she had to do to survive! She is struggling with it very badly and is very traumatized and the people who r posting ill words toward her and wat they think happened need to back off! They were friends and she had no reason to think twice about getting into the truck with him because he said he wanted to meet to say goodbye because he was going to go to miss. to live out the few months of his life he had left that the dr. gave him and told her he didnt want to die in TN. She is a hero to me and she did wat she had to do to survive and get home to her little girl!
LikeLike