dorothy e. allison was born on april 11, 1949 in greenville, south carolina to ruth gibson allison, who was fifteen at the time. her single mother was poor, working as a waitress and cook. ruth eventually married, but when dorothy was five, her stepfather began to abuse her sexually. this abuse lasted for seven years. at age 11 allison told a relative about it, who told her mother. ruth forced her husband to leave the girl alone, and the family remained together. the respite did not last long, as the stepfather resumed the sexual abuse, continuing for five years. allison suffered mentally and physically, contracting gonorrhea that was not diagnosed and treated until she was in her 20s. the untreated disease left her unable to have children.