Journalists typically have some say in which stories they choose to cover, but, as Tammy Leitner put it, “This story, quite literally, chose me.”
In 1999, the woman living in the apartment across from Leitner was assaulted by a serial rapist. Though Leitner was working as a crime reporter in Arizona at the time and has since gone on to cover countless stories in her long career — including stints at The Today Show and on MSNBC — her personal connection to this case made an impression on her that she found impossible to shake.
Now, more than two decades later, Leitner’s memoir about the case, Don’t Say a Thing, tells the story from the beginning, detailing the shocking crimes and the life of the perpetrator, who walked free for nearly 30 years before being caught, tried, and convicted; the tangled police investigations spanning multiple states and cities; and the strength and stories of survivors, including Leitner herself, who opens up about her own experience with domestic abuse.
At Chaucer’s Books for a book signing on June 14, Leitner spoke about improvements in police response when dealing with survivors, societal mentality surrounding sexual assault, and the importance of speaking up and encouraging other survivors to do the same.
“For me, this book was about empowerment,” Leitner said during an interview before the event. “Empowerment for myself: finding my own voice, being able to talk about a very traumatic time in my life. And empowerment for the survivors, who really wanted to get the message across to other sexual assault survivors that you can talk about these things that happened. There is no shame. You did nothing wrong. And the more we talk about it, the easier it gets.”
Throughout her research and interviews for Don’t Say a Thing, Leitner formed strong connections with many of the survivors, some of whom she is still in close contact with to this day. Sharing their stories helped Leitner herself come to terms with the abuse and trauma she endured in her life.
“We all had the same mentality — we want this to be a book of empowerment,” she said to the crowd at Chaucer’s. “We want other women and men who read this book to feel empowered. We want something positive to come from this. … And I hope that when you read that, you feel the strength that these women have.”
This seemed to be the case, as some members of the audience, which was made up mostly of women, spoke up to share their stories with the assembled crowd. Leitner emphasized the importance of sharing one’s experiences — with other survivors, with family and friends, and with a welcoming community.
“[Santa Barbara] has a very special place in my heart,” she told the Independent. “It was a safe place for me to come when I escaped my husband, and I started a life here with my partner, and this town has embraced me.”
While the book’s title, Don’t Say a Thing, comes from a phrase the serial perpetrator said to many victims during the assaults, Leitner has repurposed the words to speak to all survivors of abuse and assault.
“For 20 years, I didn’t say a thing,” she said. “I kept silent. My family didn’t know what I was going through in my own traumatic relationship. … I will never keep quiet again. And I hope that anybody else that is in any type of abusive or toxic relationship — I hope that they find their voice as well.”
See tamaraleitner.com.