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Using religion to heal the wounds of sexual abuse

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    Author Dawn Eden gives insight on the difficulties surrounding traumatic memories

  • Duration 7:14
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I -- moving on a sexual abuse is a huge problem in America won -- for women and one in six men reportedly having report having been sexually abused during childhood.

Is there hope for healing -- such a heinous violation.

In her new book author and speaker Don -- offers resources for spiritual healing from the -- of abuse the book is called my peace I give you.

Healing sexual wounds with the help of the saints and on joins me now from Washington DC welcome -- Thank you so much -- and it's great to -- on.

Let's just see it because we haven't I haven't I've talked to you in a while but this is -- this book really is about recovering from traumatic memories.

Of abuse.

I would imagine it is difficult but explain how difficult it is.

It is difficult too good to -- cover.

But he hit good news is that we have the grace of god to help us and the passion of our lord Jesus Christ.

Is what can really give us hope.

Because.

It because it is to -- Christ who suffered on the cross who can bring us new life.

And and grace to heal through his resurrection.

And so in my book I really go into what meaning Christ's wounds have for our.

-- -- -- you on your last local -- the thrill of the chase which was very interesting book because it really brought out about how.

Being.

-- for marriage was really in the greater joy and but it's right it also done this also bomb was -- subject of sexuality.

And now how would my piece I did to you.

How did that develop out of that.

Well when riding my peace I give you I was trying upon the experience that I -- speaking about chastity.

About my first -- the thrill of the chase grew out of the country and around the world.

And what I found was that when I would give people the message of the joy of living purely.

-- people would take it as a kind of condemnation.

Of them.

And what and what I discovered was that.

These are people who had been sexually abused in childhood or had suffered.

-- left and because of this they blamed themselves for what was done to them.

And I knew what that was like because I had been abused as well.

I found healing.

Through Christ and through the life of prayer in the sacraments in in the church as a convert to catholicism.

And so I wanted to share that same healing for others and to show that they're not to blame for what was done to them I think that's very important.

When he -- an interesting point because you're talking about in the agony of being sexually abused as a young person makes it very much harder to kind of live according to the sort of chased.

And to a life.

As an adult why is that why is in the abuse.

Directly related to how you've been -- sexuality.

As you as you get older.

I'm so glad you asked that -- -- Lauren what happens for the person who is abused is that when they feel sexual attraction.

And they are hyper conscious.

About the temptation to -- the temptation to object -- As someone else and to lust after a person because they know.

From there on abuse that when a person treats you as a sexual object when they view you as that it's as though they're killing you with it's it's a kind of it's a kind of murder -- -- of the personhood.

Because you're looking at the other person as an -- as a thing and not as a human being.

-- and so I want to show them.

First of all that our bodies our gift from god and -- are a billion feel sexual attraction is a gift from god.

So this is not someone does something bad and at the same time.

It we are to look at others as human beings and even in our attraction to them to never lose sight of their humanity and to treat them humanely.

And thankfully even if we were treated in humanely god.

Gives us that the grace.

To -- to be able to learn and and and and grow and to treat others as we would be treated.

You know it does -- does abuse necessarily though.

Mean that some obese sort of promiscuous as they get older or not I mean what -- only create.

No it doesn't it people react in all different ways to -- some people like myself suffer from.

Posttraumatic stress disorder most people who have been abused even if they don't have all the symptoms of the disorder.

May have some -- some -- symptoms such as flashbacks.

And in my case and this is not the case with it with every one.

I went on to live promiscuous -- before I found healing through the Christ and his church.

A because I believe I wasn't valuable for who I was I thought -- was only valuable for what I did.

Moreover I didn't want to be that vulnerable abused child I thought of people are going to object to -- me.

And then I might as -- be in control of how they do it so I created a false self this isn't known as.

And through the help of a good therapist that sometimes.

Because not everyone needs a -- some people do but all -- but also very importantly through learning the love of god.

And the strength of the passion of Christ I was able to find healing and I want to share that -- people.

Believe there's seems to be a lot going through a -- you have to go through in order to get to that point go -- -- all is everyone able to do that because there are many people.

Do you know don't see what they mean using -- huge disconnect between their pain.

And ends and and the gospel of Jesus Christ diminish as they -- they can't live -- that out that lived through that chasm that that's there.

How are you able to.

I -- two when I learned.

-- that is true that the gospels through that through the good news and of scripture and drew the help of a friends and and and pastors who who guided me.

I was able to learn that god never positively wills evil.

Evil exists because we have.

Free will god wanted to create people who could love him and -- -- another freely and not be.

Robots that means that that evil exists but god who is all powerful.

And does not positively will -- he only permits it because he knows that he can bring about a greater good through it and for myself.

I learned that.

My own wounds I I could draw closer to the wounded and resurrected Christ.

That -- Christ's passion any abuses that he's -- have meaning for me and through the lives of the saints many of whom also suffered abuse even sexual abuse in childhood.

We can draw closer to the from the way they image Christ to.

Imaging products herself -- every one of I want is Tom thank you -- much for being here the book is called my peace I give you.

Feeling sexual wounds with the help of the saints dawn Eden the author very wonderful book thank you very much for being here and have a wonderful day thank you so much you to -- --

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