Voice Today: Breaking the Silence of Child Sexual Abuse
Sometimes the most important issues are the hardest to talk about. Angela Williams, founder of the not-for-profit organization VOICE Today, Inc., suffered through 14 silent years of incest at the hands of her stepfather. She understands all too well how hard it can be to break the silence and that’s why she created the VOICE Today organization.
It’s estimated that 9 out of 10 sexually abused children never speak up about their abuse. This alarming statistic is a testament to the importance of the efforts of VOICE Today. The organization was created to give survivors of abuse a chance to break the silence, give children the opportunity to learn about protection and finally to give adults a plan of prevention for sexual abuse.
The organization plans to get the word out through a weekly radio show titled Break the Silence and via speaking engagements about the organization. Their website, www.voicetoday.org, has links to Christian counseling services, support groups and an anonymous blog where survivors can confidentially share their
stories.
In addition to creating VOICE Today, Inc., Williams recently released the book From Sorrows To Sapphires – Silence, Incest and God which unleashes the secrets of incest in a true story. It is a story of a heart-wrenching journey through a child’s life as a victim of 14 years of horrendous sexual, physical and emotional abuse, to a survivor, and ultimately a victor over the abuse.
Some staggering statistics about child sexual abuse:
• 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused by the time they turn 17
• 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by the time they turn 17
• 1 in 5 girls are abused by their fathers or a father figure
• 90 percent of child sexual abuse is by someone the child knows, loves and trusts
Some of the most disturbing data about child sexual abuse concerns the development of children that have
been sexually abused. Between 70 percent and 80 percent of sexual abuse survivors report a drug or alcohol addiction later in life. Among male sexual abuse survivors, 50 percent report suicidal thoughts and 20 percent have attempted suicide. Finally, 40 percent of sexual abusers report being abused as children.
Whether these damaging effects are only a factor of abuse, or a combination of abuse and silence, VOICE Today realized there was a need for an organization for the victims of this silent epidemic. They hope that prevention, protection and education will give victims of child sexual abuse the VOICE they’ve needed for years.
For more information on the organization or its founder visit www.voicetoday.org.
