LISTEN TO ME!!! Our opinions are fashioned by personal experiences. But there are somethings I want to say to everyone about sexual abuse.
To the victims of sexual abuse: God hates the wickedness that has happened to you. He’s angry at the one that hurt you. Be assured that he will punish sin. He loves you. He has compassion for you. He wants to hold you in his arms and cry with you. You were not created to handle the evil in this world. I understand the depth of your hurt that goes beyond the physical leaving scars on your spirit and in your soul. But I know that Jesus can and will heal you. You were created to be loved and cherished. Please don’t turn to another source for comfort. The numbness offered by drugs and alcohol are temporary and cause additional hurt. Please accept the loving hand that Jesus is offering you today. God loves you, and I love you.
To the unrepentant pedophile: Your pleasure isn’t worth the
damage you cause. Children remember, and so does their Savior. God hates the
wicked acts you’ve committed. You have harmed the apple of God’s eye. His
punishment is greater than any judge on Earth. Fear God and repent. If not, you
will be forever tormented in hell with no chance of forgiveness.
To the pedophile sick at his own actions: Is your pleasure
worth a lifetime of hurt? Seek professional help. You cannot overcome this
temptation on your own. Stay away from children. We are all human and we all
fail. But if you fall off the wagon, a child’s life is destroyed. Jesus can
help you, if you let Him. Confess your sins and He is faithful and just to
forgive you.
To the parents or caretakers of abuse victims: Wrap your arms around the child and say, "I beleive you." No matter the
hassle. No matter the public embarrassment. No matter the ridicule stand by the
victim. DO NOT ask them to drop the charges. DO NOT ask them to just forget
about it.DO NOT try to convince them they imagined the abuse. Victims need your
support. They need your strength. If you don’t handle the legalities and the devastation
caused by abuse, you are telling the victim they don’t matter. Their pain doesn’t
matter. Their future doesn’t matter. DO seek help for the victim. You
can’t understand the depth of pain they are processing. They need professional counselling.
To the parents of a young perpetrator: This is not your
fault. This is an evil attack and your child needs help to overcome these
unnatural urges. The problem won’t go away. Unchecked, your child’s behavior will
get worse. Seek professional help. Alert the authorities. The best thing a
parent can do for a child is to admit their flaws and help repair them.
To adults living with the shame of unreported abuse: I’m
sorry. You don’t have to feel alone any longer, because I am here for you, and
God is here for you. He can heal you from the horrid nightmares. He can heal
you from your fear of intimacy. He can heal the hatred you’ve harbored for so
long. Please, cry out to Jesus. Let Him will restore your soul.
To the women watching from the sidelines: Don’t judge us.
Many victims lash out in their pain. Young girls become promiscuous. Some turn
to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain. Help us. Love us. Remind us that our
bodies were made to be cherished. Teach us that we have value. Tell us that
Jesus loves us. Show us that we can overcome evil by God’s goodness.
To the men who are silent: Speak for us by teaching boys and
young men that we are to be treasured. Love us by demanding that the world respect
our bodies. Protect us by calling out suspicious behavior before it turns to
abuse. Erase the gray lines between a man’s natural desire and perversion by
creating safe boundaries for yours and other men interactions with women. DO
NOT remain silent. Downplaying sexual abuse, refusing to discuss it, or protecting
the perpetrator is saying the victims ARE NOT important. Our feelings don’t
matter. Our nightmares. Our struggle to forgive ourselves and the ones who’ve
hurt us. Stand up and be the man God created you to
be. Do your job. Provide for us. Love us.
LISTEN TO ME!!!