Here and Now

Did you know that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will experience an unwanted sexual act before the age of 18? April is Sexual Assault and Awareness Prevention Month. Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. Visit http://www.rainn.org/ for more information, to get help, or to donate.

You're Not Alone

Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. One in six American women are victims of sexual assault, and one in 33 men. In 2005-2006, there were an average annual 232,010 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. About 44% of rape victims are under age 18, and 80% are under age 30. Rapes are still not being reported. The National Crime Victimization Survey includes statistics on reported and unreported crimes in America. Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes, with more than half still being left unreported. Utilizing services such as The National Sexual Assault Hotline can help encourage victims to get help and report what has happened to them so that more perpetrators can be brought to justice. Silence Screams The night, she saves her silent screams for awakening children from their dreams Shivering through the empty streets Hiding fright in their shadows of crimson Comes the light to sleep the day away and beg the darkness to fade...

Healing from Sexual Abuse by Dr. Sidney Langston ~The Process of Healing~ Healing for those who have been sexually abused is like a renovation process. All the old wounds need to be cleaned out and repaired. Truth must be faced, the sorrow embraced and grieved. Usually this cannot be done in isolation. It is best to talk it through with a trusted friend, pastor or professional therapist. Abused individuals need to be gently led out of denial so that the truth of what happened to them can be faced. Acknowledging the truth is the initial step toward rescuing themselves from the bondage of powerlessness, betrayal, confusion and rejection. When truth is faced they can learn to let go of dissociative behaviors which allow them to block the pain of abuse from their memories. Dissociation can be a useful survival tool because it allows victims to mentally escape to a safe place so they are not in touch with their pain. If they have developed multiple personalities, another dissociative defens...