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Survivor story

#459

Original story

Message to a Survivor

Remember you are not alone, someone out there understands you, you are loved. And most importantly it was not your fault.

I was 6 when it all started, my abuser was my cousin. I had problems at home and I was always a black sheep, one day while we were playing he said he wanted to play a different game. As you know it sometimes starts with the “family” game. Everything was okay for a while until he started showing me pornography of men and women. I wasn’t such an innocent child where I didn’t know anything , of course I knew what it was, but I never had any intentions to do something. He showed me his private parts and told me to touch him. I said no countless of times but he kept telling me, he would hit me and give me bruises, no one would be home so I couldn’t get help. After that he kept touching me, he made me do things I never ever want to again. It started as touching until he started raping me. I tried and tried to push him off, but he just kept going, his brother (my older cousin) would also try to get me to touch his private area, when I would try to scream and get help, they would drag me by my feet and arms and lock me in a dark room. I was always scared to say anything to snyone for I had no one, I already had problems, I thought no one was going to believe me. I finally came out like a year ago about him assaulting me, but memories came back and I realized he raped me, I’ve told a few people. I still hate him with every bone in my body. I can’t stand to see him, I can still feel his touch and it disgusts me. I’ve grown though to accept the terms. I have to be in peace in order to be happy with not only myself but with everyone else. My heart goes to anyone who has gone through this or something different. You’re all strong and keep fighting.

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Grounding activity

Find a comfortable place to sit. Gently close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths - in through your nose (count to 3), out through your mouth (count of 3). Now open your eyes and look around you. Name the following out loud:

5 – things you can see (you can look within the room and out of the window)

4 – things you can feel (what is in front of you that you can touch?)

3 – things you can hear

2 – things you can smell

1 – thing you like about yourself.

Take a deep breath to end.

From where you are sitting, look around for things that have a texture or are nice or interesting to look at.

Hold an object in your hand and bring your full focus to it. Look at where shadows fall on parts of it or maybe where there are shapes that form within the object. Feel how heavy or light it is in your hand and what the surface texture feels like under your fingers (This can also be done with a pet if you have one).

Take a deep breath to end.

Ask yourself the following questions and answer them out loud:

1. Where am I?

2. What day of the week is today?

3. What is today’s date?

4. What is the current month?

5. What is the current year?

6. How old am I?

7. What season is it?

Take a deep breath to end.

Put your right hand palm down on your left shoulder. Put your left hand palm down on your right shoulder. Choose a sentence that will strengthen you. For example: “I am powerful.” Say the sentence out loud first and pat your right hand on your left shoulder, then your left hand on your right shoulder.

Alternate the patting. Do ten pats altogether, five on each side, each time repeating your sentences aloud.

Take a deep breath to end.

Cross your arms in front of you and draw them towards your chest. With your right hand, hold your left upper arm. With your left hand, hold your right upper arm. Squeeze gently, and pull your arms inwards. Hold the squeeze for a little while, finding the right amount of squeeze for you in this moment. Hold the tension and release. Then squeeze for a little while again and release. Stay like that for a moment.

Take a deep breath to end.