Friday, August 5, 2011

I am a survivor of sexual abuse and rape. What happened to me is not my shame anymore. What happened to me is the shame of my abusers. I am dealing with the aftermath of what they left me with, which is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have lived with nightmares, flashbacks, and the lovely triggers which bring back horrible memories, but I have risen above all of this, to survive. I have built a life that I am proud of and I want others that have survived the same horrors that I have survived to see that it is possible to survive, to no longer feel ashamed and to feel empowered that they can be happy, confident and secure in their lives. Jaycee Dugard says it best that "survival is your strength, not your shame."