Marlene (Bjerkesett) Jezierski's Website

Beyond the Mirror - Violence prevention activist and WHS 1957 alumnus member Marlene Jezierski's book of poems, Beyond the Mirror, powerfully depicts the reality of psychological abuse. The book was written to shine light on the darkness of pain and suffering that victims experience when cutting words and demeaning nonverbal behaviors are perpetrated by their intimate partners. Many individuals in abusive relationships do not recognize that the behaviors of their partner are abusive, especially if the abuser does not punch, strangle, rape, or push her or him down stairs. The physical elements of abusive relationships are easily recognized by society, but the cunning and cruel use of words that hurt and control another person is not well understood." (MN Women’s Press, 9-09)