I had an opportunity to counsel a 71 year old man, when the counselling started it was initially about him , not until the miracle question was asked about past events and this person mentioned that a traumatic experience that happened to him in his late teen years that he never got over and this has taken him from one trauma to the other because the first one was not treated.
Now a story of rape is going on right now about a celebrity ‘s wife and a Pastor, and people are asking why she never spoke up when the abuse happened when she was 17. One thing we need to know about abuse of any kind is the fact that IT TAKES A LOT OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO SPEAK UP. Abuse affects a person’s self esteem and self worth, abuse can lead to self doubt and can make people feel unlovable.
Traumatic experiences can leave people broken for the rest of their lives if not healed or treated.Even when we think the said person has moved on, it may appear that way but they are still traumatized.
The main reasons people don’t speak up are :
1) They don’t want to be stigmatized
2) They don’t know if people will believe them
3) They think they will be blamed.
4) People will think they want to gain fame or popularity with their stories
5) People will think they want to gain sympathy.
6) People will say get over it after all you are not the only one.
But what we do not realize is that when people speak out they are healed.
When we do victim blaming, we humiliate them the more. Anytime people share their stories, pls let’s listen more than talk. Let’s hewn our listening skills and reflect their feelings and again normalize what they are going through!!
May the Lord help us to be His hands and feet.
#Unbroken