Here to talk to you about hope after sexual abuse is victim advocate, Melanie Sachs. Trigger Warning: This post includes a description of sexual abuse. Hope is a word we often see or hear in many different contexts. What this word means to me goes beyond the definition you may find when you Google it, […]
Keep Kids Safe with 3 Simple Steps
As a body safety educator in the state of West Virginia, my job is keeping kids safe. From situations like sexual abuse, bullying, neglect, and more. So far this year, I’ve taught 1,800 K-8th graders how to stop the bad guys (or gals) in their lives. The keeping kids safe process can be distilled down […]
Your Story Is Your Glory: How survivor stories help with child sexual abuse prevention
Your story is your glory. My boss, Karen Haring—founder and executive director at the nonprofit Libera—loves that saying. Personally I’m fond of an offshoot of this idea: “Your mess is your message.” These two sayings took on new meaning for me recently when… I volunteered as a “Listener” at a body safety assembly in a […]
Dear Sweet Girl: What to say to a child sexual abuse survivor
In America, at least one in 10 children will be sexually abused by the time they are 18. Sweet girl. Oh, no… I’m so sorry. Did they call you that? I should have been more careful with my words. Please forgive me. I will only refer to you by your name moving forward. Here’s what […]