Survivor Stories
We are grateful to each of the victim-survivors from the Awake community who have chosen to share their stories on our blog. We invite you to listen to their voices with an open mind and open heart.
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We are grateful to each of the victim-survivors from the Awake community who have chosen to share their stories on our blog. We invite you to listen to their voices with an open mind and open heart.
“It was painful to discover that my Catholic Church does not recognize adult survivors as ‘victims.’ ”
“I decided to share my story because it’s not the typical story you hear about abuse in the Church.”
“I believe in the power of storytelling as a means for people to feel validated, to feel heard, and it’s been a big part of my own healing.”
“It’s a surprise that opening up about being a survivor has allowed me to love my family, friends, and community more deeply and to be loved more fully.”
“If I was the only victim I don’t think I could keep going. But I think of someone else’s story and that keeps me motivated.”
“I want other female survivors of adult abuse to know that they are not alone. I believe that knowing that I wasn’t alone in this type of abuse helped my healing process.”
“When one victim-survivor can extend the hand of compassion and kindness to another, even when struggling with their own pain, that is grace to me.”
“[S]ometimes my relationship with the Church feels like a strained marriage… I absolutely do not want a divorce; I want healing in the most precious relationship I have.”
“My wish is to help the laity understand that abuse victims are not some delicate flowers that can’t handle life because of the abuse. We are valuable members of society and … we deserve the chance to be heard.”
“If my story helps just one person realize the danger of clericalism and abuse of power, it’s worth it to me.”
“To be able to share my story, which I kept secret for over 30 years, and still feel safe and loved was such a profound experience.”
“That profound understanding that I am not alone takes a great deal of the shame away. ”
“Years of therapy and support groups have shown me that to heal I must talk about the abuse.”
“The greatest challenge I have had to endure as a survivor is shame. Because others forced me to keep silent about the abuse, I thought I was the one at fault, that I had done something wrong.”
“One of the most helpful things is working with a trauma therapist who has helped me understand why childhood trauma is so very difficult to uncover.”
“Pope Francis says that the Church needs to be a ‘field hospital’ for the marginalized. I believe that we survivors of trauma have roles to play as doctors and nurses for the field hospital.”
“Writing has been a catalyst to health. As a child I didn’t have language for what was happening to me.”
“Talking about these things in a place where you’re profoundly understood is a gift in the healing process.”
“One person can make a huge difference in someone’s life just by speaking up.”