After many years of contemplation, I am writing my first blog post. As some of you know, my passion has been to treat, prevent, intervene upon, and end Child Sexual Abuse. As much as I have loved the work and have dedicated my time and passion to it, the reality is that I can do more. This blog is my way of holding myself accountable. I’ll be using this space to raise awareness, ask tough questions, address myths, and present facts about Child Sexual Abuse.
I have been working with children, youth, and adults who have survived Child Sexual Abuse or sexual assaults for my entire career. It is a subject I know well. I have seen the long-term impact on individuals, families, and communities. I know there are countless people who suffer in silence due to shame, fear, hopelessness, and isolation. The statistics indicate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18 in the United States. Why aren’t we talking about this every day?
When we think of Child Sexual Abuse, we think it doesn’t impact us personally or we say that there are other issues we need to focus on first. We isolate the issue, making it an individual or a family problem. The fact is that you have family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, classmates, husbands, wives, and partners, who have been sexually abused as children. It is all around us—we cannot escape. None of us are immune to the impact.
Imagine a world where children weren’t abused—what would it look like? If we all play our part, we can make a big difference. I dedicate this blog to anyone who has been abused. This is my attempt to make the world a better place. I welcome your comments and thoughts. Thank you for reading.