There is so much shame, doubt, and confusion attached to being a survivor. When I was a kid, I never told anyone what happened to me because I was afraid. Would my friends shun me? Would the police believe me? (My abuser said they wouldn’t.) Would my family help me?
So, I stayed silent and struggled to deal with what happened to me. I was withdrawn and even ran away at one point. My teenage years were tough, but I have a clear memory of the moment that began my journey to healing. I heard a song whose lyrics perfectly encapsulated what I felt. Hearing those words was the first time I didn’t feel alone.
As an adult, while in some ways I still feel like a scared little child, I have also found ways to seek help and healing. It took me many years to be able to call myself a survivor. But with the support of my friends and family, I finally found the courage to speak out. I was able to share my experiences and help my community understand how abuse could occur under their noses for so many years. Every day is a struggle as a survivor, but I would much rather be known as a survivor than live my life lying to hide the shame I felt.
At Darkness to Light, we are passionate about equipping adults to be able to spot signs of abuse and know how to handle them. Our goal is that no child should ever have to feel alone the way Jason did. When you support our mission, you make it possible for adults around the world to show kids that they are not alone.
