Advice from a Survivor: Asking for Help
Help is something that’s hard to ask for. It’s not easy in any way. There is so much fear in asking for help.
I am a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence. I am successful and have a wonderful family. But my story is quite traumatic. Sometimes I feel that it is too much to even believe. I have overcome so much hurt.
It started when I was a child when I lived in two different worlds. One world was Christian and another was a mix of drug and alcohol abuse.
As a teen, I made poor choices. I was drinking and ended up with the wrong person at the wrong time. I was too scared of my choices to even speak of what happened. All I knew was that I needed to find out if this man who I had a sexual encounter with had HIV. After STD testing, it was found that he was negative. I did encounter this man again and have a precious baby boy from this relationship, but it was sexually, emotionally, and mentally abusive.
I decided to tell my new husband about my experiences. I felt I was coping well with my past until I began to speak of it. I then began to have feelings that I had never encountered before. I felt trapped, ashamed, and very insecure in my present relationship with my husband.
So I asked for help. I asked my doctors and nurses. They have supported me through so much. I am at peace with myself for the first time in my life.
It is never too late to ask for help. Without my husband and family, I would be lost.
Ask for help. Find trust in the people who are sincerely there for you. Don’t hide. Don’t run. You are SAFE!
