@rustyrockets John 7:38 BSB
[38] Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
https://t.co/8KmbJfWbn8
I recognize that same Holy Spirit in your life
At the age of 5, I started being molest3d by the 18 year old son, of my babysitter. The abuse happened at their home.
He groomed me to feel like it was normal behavior, and that he did it to me because he "loved me.” I believed him for so long, until it started to hurt. He even brought his friends to join in. Over the years, he did unspeakable things, and threatened to kill me if I spoke up. He told me it was my fault, and that nobody would believe me, that I was gay, and that everyone would hate me. His family were devout Christians, and he made it perfectly clear that when I died, only I would go to hell because I made him want me. I felt trapped. I was his defenseless slave. When I was 9, my baby sister was born. My abuser found out that his aunt would be watching her. He told me not to worry, that "when she starts coming around, I won't need you anymore." The sickening feelings of helplessness tormented me. I didn't sleep and I stopped eating. On my 10th birthday, I was encouraged to tell by watching the "Sally Jessie Raphael" talk show. The episode was about child sexual abuse, and Sally looked at the camera and said "If you’re watching this, and are going through it, please tell. Its not your fault, you must speak up." I felt like she was talking directly to ME.
I walked into my baby sister's room, looked down in her crib, and with innocent eyes she smiled up at me. I knew I had to protect her! Suddenly he wasn't so big and scary anymore (he was 6'4 270 lbs). I pulled my grandmother into the bathroom, and told her everything. Thankfully she believed me, and later he crumbled under interrogation and was locked away for a very long time. My story is complex. Drugs and alcohol became my way of coping for so long, but now after a year sober, I'm finally starting the healing process. I’m baffled at how little the adults in my life looked out for me, and that he was allowed to be alone and have sleep-overs with a 5 year old child. In hindsight, it's infuriating. I would never allow this to happen to my children. In retrospect, I don't think I would change what happened in my life if given the chance, because it's made me such a compassionate person as well as a protective, understanding parent. I'm sharing my story for everyone who is a victim, but especially for all the boys who are now men, who haven't spoken yet. I humbly pray that I can inspire someone to speak up, because I know how horrifying it can be in a very toxic masculine society, which discourages making oneself vulnerable. I firmly believe as a man, the most badass thing you can do is speak up. You're not weak!
Credit - tell somebody