Sarah Grace is a sexual assault survivor. On 17 July 2019, she fell asleep like any other night. A burglar broke into her apartment and attacked her as she slept. What followed was a fight for her life. That violent assault blew apart her world, reducing everything in it to ashes.

From that battle, Sarah has waged many more. She had to fight her way through post-traumatic stress, the social stigma around sexual assault and an archaic court system in her bid to ensure her attacker couldn’t do the same to another woman. Some adversities were predictable – nightmares, panic attacks and the devastating loss of self. Others were surprising – toxic social reactions, friends withdrawing and a nightmarish trial that unearthed how heavily the criminal justice system is loaded against victims.

Ash + Salt is a raw and powerful account of healing and thriving after sexual assault. Armed with courage and brazen candour, Sarah takes you through her own story to reveal the experience of a survivor. She offers the tools to survive the assault, its aftermath and the trial, and charts the path back to recovery. Because while ash marks the place of devastation, it is also the fertile soil from which new life can grow.

This is a book for everyone – not just survivors, but their families, friends and colleagues too. Sexual assault affects us all, regardless of background or gender. It is one woman’s personal testimony, but it is also a call to arms. The time to speak up is now.