Break the SILENCE

Why do we remain silent? Why are we not speaking out about violence against our children and women that sit in the pews with us or those living in our neighborhoods? The sad reality is that these statistics do not change that much inside the church walls.

Did you know?
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.
• An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today.
• Over 30% of victims never disclose the experience to ANYONE.
• Victims of child sexual abuse report more symptoms of PTSD, more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims.
• Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults.
• Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.
• Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use.
• Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or alcohol and drug abuse in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused.
• Children who have been victims of sexual abuse exhibit long-term and more frequent behavioral problems, particularly inappropriate sexual behaviors.
• Women who report childhood rape are 3 times more likely to become pregnant before age 18.
• An estimated 60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation, rape, or attempted rape. The average age of their offenders is 27 years.
• Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to be sexually promiscuous.
• More than 75% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused.

For more statistics click here.

Survivors of sexual abuse need your help. They need your compassion, mercy and grace not your judgment or little one liners that often do more harm than good. Those who have been abused do not need to hear "You need to get past your past" "just get over it" "how long are you going to stay in your past?" and so many other hurtful things.

We need to understand the deep love of Christ, we need to see ourselves as Christ sees us. Not as someone abused but as someone worth dying for. We need someone to walk with us and help us to see the lies that we have believed for so long. We need those who love us enough to speak truth when we do not understand it or can't see it. But this takes time.

Yes ultimately we need JESUS and you need to know we long for healing - complete healing from the abuse, the lies, the pain, the destruction of our soul, body and mind. We long to trust again, to have the security we never knew. We long to KNOW God. But it takes time.

As we continue our healing process our Father in heaven is teaching us to trust Him, to love Him and to be healed and whole. Our Father is patient with us, He gives us grace and mercy as He continues to work a miracle of healing in us. We can live whole, spiritually healthy lives. We can "get past our past" - but it takes time.

I walk today as a survivor of years of sexual abuse, because I have had those who have walked beside me and continued to shower me with the love of Christ Jesus. They did not judge, they did not try to hurry the process, they just showed me Jesus. My Father in heaven has continually showed me His love and purposes for my life.

My past no longer defines who I am as I once thought it did. I understand today that Christ died so that I could be free of who I was. Today my Father in heaven is making me into a new creation. I know who I am. I am a daughter of the KING. I know whose I am - I am my Father's Beloved daughter. In my Father's eyes I am pure, holy and righteous. In my Father's eyes I am a new creature, no longer defined by shame, fear or guilt.

OH My FATHER! Thank you, for you are SO GOOD to ME! I have been freed and so want that for my sisters who are still locked up in the nightmares.