10 Myths about Sexual Abuse in Anabaptist Communities [Reblog]

Today, I want to share a post from another blogger, Ann Peachey Detwiler at Abundant Redemption, titled “10 Myths about Sexual Abuse in Anabaptist Communities“. Myth #1 is especially powerful.

In my last post, I wrote about Jesus being the answer to the horrific abuse that goes on in our Anabaptist communities.  While I firmly believe that, I also believe that there is much ignorance and silence about it.  This is not helping the situation.  In fact, I would say that the secrecy, silence, and ignorance is only compounding sexual abuse in conservative communities.

If we are going to stand up and fight for our children, we are going to have to ditch some misconceptions about sexual abuse that are widely believed in our culture.  Here are a few of them:

  1. “Sexual abuse doesn’t happen in our community.”

I’ll admit that when I hear this one, I usually chalk that community up as being infested with sexual abuse.  Some Anabaptist communities don’t have as many cases, but it’s safe to say that those communities are in the minority.  When people refuse to talk about abuse, (its effects, the symptoms, etc.), it thrives.

  1. “I was abused as a girl, but it didn’t affect me.”

My heart drops to the floor when someone tells me this or something similar. It is the equivalent of saying “I was run over by a train, but it didn’t hurt me.”  The person who makes this statement is in a lot of pain, but doesn’t know it or doesn’t want to acknowledge it.  It is hard to say, “I was abused and it hurt.”  But we really won’t find healing until we choose to acknowledge the pain.

  1. “My children will tell me if something like that ever happens to them.”

Really?…

Please read the rest at “10 Myths about Sexual Abuse in Anabaptist Communities”.

Kudos to this brave lady for standing up and speaking!

Photo by Robert Couse-Baker via flickr

 

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