Abuse

Were you abused?

Statistics

• 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet.
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults
  ( including adults ) occur to children ages 17 and under.
• An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today.
• 30 - 40% of victims are abused by a family member.
• Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.
• Approximately 40 % are abused by older or larger children whom they know.
• Therefore, only 10% are abused by strangers.
• The median age for reported abuse is 9 years old.

Sexually abused at the age of 6 by my grandparents neighbor I tried to mask the pain of my abuse with alcohol and drugs.

Nothing seemed to fill the void I felt inside. The truth is nothing could. I had too much pain for any drug to fix. No person could make me better. Not my parents, not my husband, not my children, not my counselor. But I did find healing. God himself healed my broken spirit. If you allow him to, He will heal yours.

You might be telling yourself “it’s no big deal. That happened a long time ago. It’s in the past. I’ve moved on with my life”.

The truth is you have probably spent a lot of energy trying to forget what happened. You might even be feeling that the abuse was somehow your fault. That’s not true. The truth is nobody child, teenager, or adult wants or deserves to be abused.

This class will help you to expose the lies you have believed, find out what the truth is, deal with the pain, shame, and anger that the abuse has caused and find healing. There is hope. You don’t have to be a victim. You can choose to be a SURVIVOR and an OVERCOMER!

Abuse can be emotional, physical, and/or sexual. It can happen at an early age, as a teenager, or even as an adult. The abuser might be a family member like a father, mother, uncle, older brother, or husband. The abuser can also be a boyfriend, or a stranger.

“ ‘You are just like your father! You will never amount to anything!’ My mother told me this every time I did something she didn’t like. My dad was an alcoholic and unable to keep a job because of his drinking. He left us when I was a small child. I never have used alcohol or drugs, and I have never been fired. Why can’t I let go of this fear I will fail?”
-John, a successful attorney.

“I hate it when I get angry and spank my children too hard. I feel awful when I see the bruises made by my own hand. I feel like some kind of monster. But what do you expect? I have scars all over my legs that my father made with an extension cord. At least I don’t do that to my children!”
-Mary, a mother of three.

My stepfather began sexually abusing me when I was twelve. He told me he was teaching me about sex. I wanted it to stop, but I was afraid of him. He told me that if I told anyone, something bad would happen to me. I still feel guilty that I didn’t stop him. I still hate him because he made me feel dirty. After all these years, I feel ashamed and bad. Will these feelings ever go away?”
-Ruth, 45 years old.

Do you know John or a Mary or a Ruth? Do you identify with them in any way? Were you abused emotionally. Physically, or sexually? If so, there is hope. Healing is available to you if you will trust the healer…
Jesus.

We are here to help.

Support Groups- Committed To Freedom and My Father‘s Child - are classes dealing with emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse. Classes are by registration only. Classes are in a much smaller setting and last for 12-14 weeks. The class usually lasts 90 min. Dates and times vary. You can call the office for more information at

225-686-1123 or email me at info@familyresourceclinic.com.

Footnotes have been taken from the book “My Father’s Child” with permission from the author Dr. Vicki L. Tanner PH. D.