In a room today were three forces, joined over a common cause; healing victims, empowering victims, reversing the affects of trauma, abuse and being victimized…finding a way to weave together many sources and journeys…Victims helping Victims using the support of all connecting agencies.
Coming together were three pathways…The law of the land, the victims advocate and me.
All of us cared about the healing of the victims, knowing the affects that linger long after the trial, no matter the outcome…win or lose, the victim still has wounds and scars that the justice system can't touch.
We all recognized the healing that begins with the truth being spoken, no matter if a trial is forthcoming, just finding a person to hear your story raises you from the level of shame to acceptance.
Acceptance carries you to courage and courage allows for your truth to be spoken…and what you need is a very open ear.
In the room were open ears, willing spirits, like minds, and a dream.
A dream that one day the shame of being a victim will lessen, where we can all meet and openly share. For victims to leave their solitary journeys of silence and speak.
To stop suffering alone, ashamed…to be able to know that what they feel or not feel is normal. That they are perfectly perfect living the affects of abuse. Being confused and lost is the cost of abuse.
This seems to be the last closet where humanity is hiding, where souls are suffering in silence, and shame the lock on the door.
All three of us are equally as frustrated and perplexed as to what will open the door of abuse.
What can we do to offer a path of empowerment and healing that overcomes the cloak of shame?
How do you get such deeply hurting souls to expose secrets that their very survival depended on to keep silent? How do we ask them to reveal to us who hurt them, when who hurt them is who they love and call family?
Inside of family homes lives the monster that they have always called dad or uncle or brother or mother etc..how do we unhook them or ask them to open that door? When that most likely will lead to them becoming estranged…How to heal…when healing means losing all that you have?
It seems they are sitting on the bottom and we are asking to pull even that away…leaving them in a free fall…to where?
I know this journey…I know what we are asking…And I know the cost, but I also know the reward.
For four hours we talked and learned from each other and a dream was planted.
Ironically or not, it is Martin Luther King Day….and it came to me after leaving the Dial-Help office…"I have a Dream."
I have a dream to demolish the closets of shame that surround victims. To empower each victim to tear down the walls…and to live free.
Free and unashamed.
Free and not guilty.
Free in the truth of their lives.
Learning not only about abuse, but how to unscramble its affects…learning to find the self they lost and hid away, in shame because of being abused.
I have a dream that all abused kids will return to their natural states of innocence…I believe in this dream, for it came true for me.
I M Perfect lady 