Childhood Sexual Abuse (caution: serious subject matter)
Do you know someone who was sexually abused as a child? If you are reading this, you now do.
Do you know there are 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse in the US? 42 million..... 20% of the abused are violated BEFORE the age of 8. Females are 5 times more likely to be abused than males:
* “About 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused before they turn 18 *,+”
Between the ages of 3-5 I was abused by a trusted relative, babysitter, who lived across the street. The abuse with this person happened multiple times. I have detailed memory of the encounters: standing me on top of the toilet seat so I would be tall enough.
A few years later I was violated by a next door neighbor. Holding his hand over my mouth he told me to be quiet as our moms were just outside the opened window sipping coffee and smoking cigarettes together. Victim I was.
Victim I am no more. You see, when I accepted Christ, He was gracious enough to allow those memories to surface at just the right time. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! Like most hurts in life, it has been a healing process. A process that concludes with this blog entry. Through the years I dealt with the emotional issues of trust that come along with the sexual abuse. I forgave both of the individuals in my heart but never verbally conveyed that forgiveness to them. The Lord is always gracious to finish a good work in those who love Him. In April I heard a fabulous sermon on forgiveness. At the conclusion of the sermon I knew the Holy Spirit was at work. (He had been for awhile and I was dragging my feet.) Prior to the sermon God had been prompting me to contact the relative to convey forgiveness. Before church was over I sent a message to the relative via Facebook messenger that simply read, I forgive you.
Do you know, for the first time in my life, I had a true freedom from the stronghold I never realized was still there. I found myself praying for that person and asking the Lord to reveal Himself to that relative. Again from 2 Corinthians 5: 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In 1992 I went to the police when the memories came fully to mind. Unfortunately, both individuals were protected by the Indiana Statute of Limitations which was 7 years. The investigator I spoke to informed me chances were, nothing would have gone to court because of the age of the offenders. "Boys like to experiment" were the exact words he used. I was livid but didn't know what to do.
What I can do is inform others. People rarely talk about abuse, it remains such a taboo topic.
There is help available for victims.
Darkness to Light/ End Child Sexual Abuse
http://www.d2l.org
1-866-367-5444
RAINN: Rape, Abuse, & Incest Network 800-656-HOPE (4673)
online.rainn.org
Do you know there are 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse in the US? 42 million..... 20% of the abused are violated BEFORE the age of 8. Females are 5 times more likely to be abused than males:
* “About 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused before they turn 18 *,+”
* “About 1 in 7 girls and 1 in 25 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18*”
* “It is estimated that 7-12% of children are sexually abused*”
* “As many as 400,000 babies born in the U.S. this year will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday unless we do something to stop it*,+ >” (stats shared from d2l.org)
A few years later I was violated by a next door neighbor. Holding his hand over my mouth he told me to be quiet as our moms were just outside the opened window sipping coffee and smoking cigarettes together. Victim I was.
Victim I am no more. You see, when I accepted Christ, He was gracious enough to allow those memories to surface at just the right time. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! Like most hurts in life, it has been a healing process. A process that concludes with this blog entry. Through the years I dealt with the emotional issues of trust that come along with the sexual abuse. I forgave both of the individuals in my heart but never verbally conveyed that forgiveness to them. The Lord is always gracious to finish a good work in those who love Him. In April I heard a fabulous sermon on forgiveness. At the conclusion of the sermon I knew the Holy Spirit was at work. (He had been for awhile and I was dragging my feet.) Prior to the sermon God had been prompting me to contact the relative to convey forgiveness. Before church was over I sent a message to the relative via Facebook messenger that simply read, I forgive you.
Do you know, for the first time in my life, I had a true freedom from the stronghold I never realized was still there. I found myself praying for that person and asking the Lord to reveal Himself to that relative. Again from 2 Corinthians 5: 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In 1992 I went to the police when the memories came fully to mind. Unfortunately, both individuals were protected by the Indiana Statute of Limitations which was 7 years. The investigator I spoke to informed me chances were, nothing would have gone to court because of the age of the offenders. "Boys like to experiment" were the exact words he used. I was livid but didn't know what to do.
What I can do is inform others. People rarely talk about abuse, it remains such a taboo topic.
There is help available for victims.
Darkness to Light/ End Child Sexual Abuse
http://www.d2l.org
1-866-367-5444
RAINN: Rape, Abuse, & Incest Network 800-656-HOPE (4673)
online.rainn.org
Karen, thank you for sharing your testimony. I can't comprehend what you went through, but I am thankful to God for you, for your words of forgiveness. Thank you for being salt in this very bitter world. Christy H
ReplyDeleteKaren, thank you for sharing your testimony. I can't comprehend what you went through, but I am thankful to God for you, for your words of forgiveness. Thank you for being salt in this very bitter world. Christy H
ReplyDelete