A hard message to hear...

I have met so many wonderful people on my journey this year!  One of those ladies is Mrs Debbie Bunch.  Debbie and I don't hang out a lot, or call each other in the middle of the night--to be honest, I don't know her that well. I've only seen her twice, but from the first minute you meet Debbie, you can see her kind heart--it shines through in her eyes!  I've come to admire and respect Debbie, not only for her kindness, but because she is brave. 

Debbie is an advocate for children and she is also a survivor.  A survivor of sexual abuse as a child.  She takes the hurt from her yesterdays and uses it to prevent the harm of future children.  She is a very strong woman.  Her message is hard to hear, but so important.  Her latest blog post highlighted the five signs for sexual abuse, and I want to share them with you now (this is her post)...

5 signs a child is being sexually abused

This is an article for mature adults who have love for children. We need to protect our kids as much as possible. Sexual abuse can take place in any home environment, with any person.

This article will shine light on some of the signs that you can look for when you suspect that a child is or has been sexually abused.

Remember that just because a child is showing these signs, doesn't mean that he or she is actually being sexually abused. Let them be a warning and a reason for you to pay special attention to them.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

things you'll need:

• lots of prayer

1. • 1
     Acts out in a sexual manner:

     This is a very prevalent sign that a child may have been or is being sexually abused. If they talk about their privates or say things pertaining to sex in anyway is a definite sign. Take action immediately.
   • 2
     Seems distant or self-contained:

     They are shy acting when this is not their normal behavior. They may appear to stay in a fetal position a lot and have a sad look. They clam up easily. They are quiet and act frightened.

     Children who have been sexually abused (or abused in other ways) tend to have nightmares, as well. They may get up at late hours, have insomnia or they are scared to go to sleep.
   • 3
     Mistrust(especially in men):

     I say especially in men, because most pedophiles are men. However, there are women out there who have molested and raped children. A child who is being sexually abused will not trust easily. They will be frightened of certain things. They don't feel comfortable around certain people.
   • 4
     Low self esteem:

     Sexually abused children will have low self esteem. This is not to say that if your child does have low self esteem, he or she has been sexually abused. They may have compulsive disorders as well. One example may be over eating.
   • 5
     If you suspect that a child you care about has been sexually abused, pray about what to do. This can happen to any child in any walk of life. Statistics show that 40% of children are sexually abused in America. That is a horrid reality. I can't imagine that in a room full of children almost half of them have been sexually abused. It is time to do something about sexual abuse in our children

To visit Debbie's Page and find out more about her or more information on sexual abuse please visit her page http://www.debbiebunch.blogspot.com/  Thank You!



And Thank You to Debbie for letting me share her story
and for all the wonderful ways she helps protect our Oklahoma Children!