Any Girl

A Memoir of Sexual Exploitation and Recovery

A radically honest account of surviving sexual exploitation in the Irish sex trade, in a psychotherapist's literary debut of past trauma and the integration of lives past and present.

"It became untenable for me to remain silent about a part of my life I had long kept secret. I had to follow the persistent, uncomfortable pull of truth, wherever it would lead me."

From the outside looking in, the young life of Mia Döring seemed unremarkable, as she pursued her studies at a prominent Dublin art college, immersed in a vibrant social scene.

Unbeknownst to those around her, however, Mia's life was anything but ordinary. At age sixteen, she had been sexually exploited by an older man, which carved a direct path into the Irish sex trade, where she remained for several years until finally leaving it behind over a decade ago, at age twenty-four.

In her literary memoir Mia, a psychotherapist specialising in sexual trauma, excavates her difficult history as she sets about integrating her past with her present-day life. Along the way, she presents an ardent and intelligent refutation of a culture that affirms and applauds the industrialised sexual violation of women and girls, ultimately offering something more precious - a way forward for society bedded in true understanding and compassion.

Any Girl is a ferociously honest, intensely tender and utterly unforgettable book that is as thought-provoking as it is timely.

(P) 2022 Hachette Books Ireland©2022 Mia Döring

Heavy lifting, worth the effort

This is an incredibly important and difficult book. It is well written, eye-opening, and deeply disturbing. Mia Döring details her experience as a sex worker with unflinching clarity. The details are explicit without being prurient. She narrates in a clear, calm voice that belies the horror of her experience. I applaud her courage in writing this account.

I had to listen to this book in short segments because I was overwhelmed with grief on Mia’s behalf, and for all women ensnared in similar situations. Nonetheless, I’m glad I listened to this book; I would encourage anyone to listen or read, and be prepared to do some emotional heavy lifting.

Heartbreaking & healing.

Thank you, Mia, for writing this book. We need more women to expose the porn/modeling/prostitution world for what it is. In solidarity. 💞

Moving, heavy but incredibly important

This a heavy book but it's also moving and shines light on a mostly invisible part of our society. It's not merely about prostitution but about the root causes and motivations of both sides. Thank you, Mia!

Powerful

This is a powerful memoir about recovering from trauma and violence against women. The only issue I had was as the author is narrating she would make loud, wet mouth sounds.