July 27
Scripture focus: But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. Romans 6:22-23 (The Message)
Since our bodies and minds are not equipped to handle sin, sexual abuse causes tremendous damage. It also inflames shame. Shame, once inflamed, tells us to hide and isolate, keep secrets and cover our wounding. This plays right into the abuser's plans, and decreases the chance of receiving help and rescue. Below are some statistics for your consideration. These are just the reports of harm done. As you consider these facts, ask yourself: is there some sexual issue that I need to address in order to become whole, healed and able to experience a put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way?
- One in five girls report being solicited for sex on the Internet prior to age 18.
- 20% of U.S. men report being sexually abused prior to age 18.
- At least 20% of women and 12% of adolescent girls have experienced sexual assault or rape.
- More than one woman per minute are sexually assaulted per year in the United States.
- Close to 100,000 men are raped each year. (These are just the ones reported.)
- Two thirds of rape victims had a prior relationship to their offender.
- 70% of reported assaults are committed against victims 17 years or younger.
- Between 50 and 85% of American females will experience some form of sexual harassment during their lives.
Rape -- non-consensual sexual penetration obtained by force, threat, or during a time when the victim is incapable of giving consent (mental illness, developmentally delayed, or intoxication for example).
Sexual harassment -- when one person is treated as the object of another's sexual prerogative in the workplace.
If you or someone you love has experienced sexual abuse or harassment, they have suffered from betrayal. Could this be an area of past wounding that needs healing? If so, loving communities must seek to be a sanctuary for all who are suffering -- whether abused or abuser -- and hurting people must consider asking for help in their time of need. It's my prayer that you will find your place in God's story of redemption as God's people seek to be the kind of refuge that is restorative.
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© Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
© Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
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