Help for sexual abuse

I’m a survivor of sexual and ritual abuse and would like to share something that helped me. There’s a 12 step support group called Survivors of Incest Anonymous that literally saved my life. They are a self-help group of women and men (some groups are women only or men only) who are 18 years or older who have been sexually abused in some manner. They define incest broadly and you do not have to have actual memories to go to a meeting. It does not matter who abused you, how many times, or how “severe” it was, since all abuse damages.

Meetings are group led, meaning there is no therapist, which for me was nice…. no one trying to push drugs on me or tell me to “move on”.  Just people like me who were on various stages of their healing and recovery. Seeing those people gave me so much hope that I could recover and move on, and I have finally moved on (although the effects of abuse is still a part of my life and always will be.)

When I was in the worst of my memories, I was actively suicidal and sometimes all I could do was wait for the meeting to see me through. Knowing I was not alone, knowing I was not crazy, and knowing there were others like me was so incredibly healing.

I don’t know if we’re allowed to post links, but google “survivors of incest anonymous” and their world services organization site should show up at the top of the list. There’s a way to search for meetings in your area.

BTW, if you’re familiar with 12 step groups, there’s a “higher power” aspect of it all, but you do not have to believe in a deity to help you. I was helped and did not believe in a god of any sort at all. I’ve since found my own life path, but the point is you don’t have to believe in “god” (or whoever) to be there.