Your Story is More Powerful Than You Know

As we end the month of April, I would be re-missed not to do a post about the significance of month.  April has been deemed Sexual Assault & Child Abuse Awareness month to bring an understanding about this violation that occurs globally that is connected to everyone in some form or fashion. We all know someone who this has happen too or it could even be you. All the statistics mention 1 in 4 girls and 1 and 5 boys have been impacted. In my personal opinion, I believe it happens to more than what people wish to confess.

I know for many years I carried the shame and guilt of being molested by my father deep within. I also hide being sexually assaulted, violated or having inappropriately encounters by family, friends and even strangers. This definitely takes a toll on your identity and your self worth. You learn to hide behind your story and become powerless behind it thus taking on an new identity that is unrecognizable to many including yourself.

I can admit that this is how I felt for many many many years. Notice I said many years. But, in the fullness of time there came a point where it’s time to release the shame, relinquish the burden, and reconnect to my God given power! Years ago, I did just that during this special month to reclaim who I was meant to be and position myself towards my purpose.

In April of 2014 I started this blog, this simple little blog to share my thoughts, to share my truths and share my power. Little did I know how powerful this would truly be. In the midst, of me being more comfortable with my story and the power that ignited from it began to spark within others. It started others to recognize their own truth and be able to give themselves permission to finally tell their truth. I am filled with so much joy when another person can truly begin the journey into finding their own power.  I have so many to share over the years that are meaningful and purposeful but today I would like to share just one.

Today, a young lady shared with me that knowing my story gave her the power and courage to finally share hers which she did on this day. I am so honored that she gave me permission to share her power with you! This is what she said:

“Today is the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I’m a survivor. Wow! The first time it happened I was 14 years old on my way to school. It was a stranger. 40 years ago! Can I keep it real with you and tell you it is still extremely difficult to share. When I play it back in my head, it was one of the most terrifying days of my life’ I can still see it like it was yesterday. I thought I was going to die. I fought for my life that day. I cried out to God to save me. I will never forget the rapist said, “I’m your God now”.
For many years, At first I couldn’t understand why God let this happen to me. I carried the guilt, shame, and Blame for being raped. In my mind it was my fault. If I would have just followed my mother’s instructions to a tee. I carried the guilt of the hurt and shame I believed I brought to my family. I remember the rape kit at the hospital, being connected to a lie detector test at the police station and looking through books full of mug shots. I remember I had just gotten a brand new coat and shoes before this happened. I never got my coat back. They kept if for evidence. I really did LOVE that coat.
The effects of being raped stay with you for a lifetime. It affects victims in different ways. For me, after being raped a second time, I was convinced that was all I was worth. I believed there was something wrong with me. Men wanted to rape me but nobody wanted to love me. So I became extremely promiscuous.
I share this not for your pity or for attention but because God spared my life so I can tell my story. So I can let some woman or girl know that it was not her fault and to beg her to please talk to someone. Don’t let someone steal your life. We may never forget but we can heal and go on to live life free of anger, guilt, and shame.” ~ Yolanda

Wow! all I can say is that I am so proud of her for having the courage to release what she has been holding on to for so long for the first time. It’s a start and the beginning towards over her stepping into her power! Ok, so now you see exactly how Powerful your story not only is to yourself but to others.

This is the message I want to release to everyone reading this whether it is today, tomorrow or sometime in the future. Own your story, embrace your story, release your story. You have the power within and it’s time to give yourself permission to know that your story is powerful, your truth matters, and the purpose behind your pain has now become your oyster if you let it! Simply because when you give yourself permission to tell your story, it helps someone else the power to tell theirs!

#sexualassaultawarenessmonth  

#MagnifyYourEssence #MagnifiedThoughts #TheGoodLife

A Time for Healing

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month “A Victorious Story of Healing” is the title of an article that featured my story of Healing and overcoming Sexual Child Abuse.  I’d like to share that article that I contributed too.

Every eight minutes, child protective services substantiates, or finds evidence for, a claim of child sexual abuse. Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Every survivor needs a time to heal. I hope that the following story of Carolyn Wilson encourages and empowers someone else to speak up, get help and allow the process of healing lead you to complete victory!

For Sexual Assault Awareness month, I decided to share my story a couple of weeks ago of being a shy, creative little girl who loved art and who was being molested by my father. This was my norm many days and nights for most of my childhood until I became a teenager. Although, there were brief moments when it stopped the long lasting damage was already done.

The damage that a child endures as being sexually exposed, sexually assaulted, and sexually raped causes an effect that lasts a lifetime. This is an experience that can unfortunately never go away. There is no pill to cure it. There is no magic spell to make it go away. The only thing you have is yourself to keep yourself going.

Just like many victims of sexual child abuse, I have lived many years with shame, guilt, confusion, depression and uncertainty. It becomes routinely easier to become numb and not deal with what has happen to you. Because, the pain is way too much to handle. But, unfortunately, what you ignore and burry will eventually resurface.

This is what happen to me when I found out my perpetrator was still molesting a little girl who happen to be my little sister. Because of this, I decided to tell what happen to me once more and now he is serving 20 years in prison. I did this initially to save her but ended up saving me in the process.

This was the beginning of my healing. My healing that was long overdue. I began this process by staying in prayer, surrounding myself with friends and family, attending a support group for incest survivors, attended therapy with a licensed counselor that specializes in childhood trauma and kept busy by giving back to the community.

The work that was put in was far from easy but it was necessary. Many things came out of this process, I am no longer plagued with shame, guilt, and all the uncertainties that come along with being sexual abused. Instead, I freely know who I am, what’s my purpose, and why i exist.

What has been birthed out of this pain was my blog turned ministry Magnify Your Essence, my Power Hour Empowerment Series, my Beacon’s Light Women’s Retreat, my book – Magnified Thoughts – A Transformational Journey to Reveal Your Amazing You, and my annual Celebrating YOU Women’s Conference & Expo held every third Sunday in May.

If you were sexually assaulted, you can call this hot-line number for confidential support and service providers in your area 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

http://scoopusanewspaper.com/

printed: April 27, 2018 by Arnita DeShields

 

#BetheVoice Campaign – Tell Your Story

With April being Child Abuse & Sexual Assult Awareness Month I have decided to initiate the #BetheVoice Campaign – Tell Your Story

About this campaign

The #BetheVoice Campaign is about being the voice not just for yourself but so others can find their voice too. Once you tell your story you free someone else to tell theirs.

My name is Carolyn Wilson of Magnify Your Essence and I am a survivor of sexual child abuse and domestic violence. I can’t talk about one without talking about the other. As a child, I was molested repeatedly for years by my father which laid the foundation to my silence. This silence gave permission for domestic violence to come into my life. My innocence, my voive and my will to be strong was taken away from me at a young age. Sexual abuse is something no one should have to endure. The actual acts may last for a moment. But the effects can last a lifetime. Today, I am silent no more. The silence is gone and I am free. I have found my voice. I use it boldly and proudly whenever and wherever I can. I choose to “Be the Voice” by telling my story because it will free someone to tell theirs. Join me to help free many silent voices and “Be the Voice”

All funds raised will go directly to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) .

Get your t-shirt today:

https://www.booster.com/be-the-voice-and-tell-your-story