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Lay Your Burden Down

As a survivor of child sexual abuse I realized that so many of us think we are alone.  We think that we are the only ones who have ever been sexually abused.  Nothing could be further from the truth – we think we are alone because very few people are able to talk about what happened to them as a child.  We think we are alone because the silence is deafening. 

 

And the stigma, we think, rests on our shoulders alone.  But it was NEVER our burden to carry.  Isn't it time we laid our burden down?  We must end the silence, because the people who molested us have not stopped molesting others.

 

I proudly share my experiences and am committed to speaking out about the realities of Child Sexual Abuse, in the hope that others will recognize how critical it is that we, as a community, a people, let our voices be heard.

 

Can you imagine what it would sound like if 42 MILLION adult survivors found their voice?  To shout from the rooftops, the mountain tops, the streets - It happened to me and I am a survivor.  I am a warrior.

 

I am ONE.   We are ONE.

I am the Storm

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Randa, I totally agree:  from the rooftops!

Sexual abuse and the often accompanying others.  Sometimes severe emotional abuse and emotional neglect are high on the list too.  Research is starting to confirm this.  - I may need to say here that I am acquainted with sexual abuse!

I like your attachment re The Warrior.   I think it would be good to have pertinent affirmations, quotes etc for the days we don't feel so strong, as a quick pick-me-up. 

Corny maybe, but sometimes necessary!  

Does have to be relevant to those with ACEs, etc.

 

PS Think I need to qualify (pity it's too hard to quantify).

To me the messages one receives from abuse and neglect are:

Sexual abuse - dirty, defiled, sexualised 

Emotional abuse - bad, unworthy, suspect

Neglect - invisible, non-viable, irrelevant

Or a combo of two or all three!

Apparently (someone can correct me on this quite easily probably) neglect is now at the top.  

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I love this quote too. I don't know the author. I'll have to research to give them credit. It's interesting, this journey I'm on - from victim to survivor to warrior.  I am so blessed!!

I feel it's not complete and unfair to not include physical abuse.  I have only experienced intimidation in my teens, by means of a hand constantly held high over me, but not actual contact.  It means I don't like people slapping my back at all.  But that's not physical abuse as we know it.  If someone can correct me feel free.

Physical abuse - humiliation, intimidation, brutality

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