Forgetting Is Difficult, Remembering Is Worse Podcast Narrator: Hello, and welcome to Forgetting Is Difficult, Remembering Is Worse Podcast. The topic chosen for project three was sexual abuse. This project mostly focuses on the endangerment of children involving all the types of sexual contact and verbal harassment and how we as communities should be empowering parents rather than children. In my written proposal by addressing important statistics, and ways to create prevention and awareness.  Some objectives and procedures reach members through services such as apps, or just everyday awareness such as creating quilts and murals to give different perspectives to the ones who did not fall victim to an assault. These acts of awareness can assist members in understanding that they are not to blame, reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, aid in restructuring dysfunctional beliefs in regard to the sexual abuse experience, and lasly foster social reconnection. Some of the long term effects of being sexually abused include, cause teenagers and young adults to have chronic depression, low self-esteem, multiple personalities, post-traumatic stress syndrome, flashbacks, and future drug and alcohol abuse. Recently I have interviewed somebody over the social media platform Instagram about her story. She did not want her name to be revealed but her Instagram tag was the only thing she said she would reveal.  

-Interview-- Narrator: How old were you when you became a victim to sexaul assault? Olivia_ingram: She then replied with “I was eight years old the first time somebody grabbed my behind.” Narrator: Have you ever been raped and or sexually assaulted? Olivia_ingram: She then stated “ Yes I have been raped and sexually assaulted at the age of 18 by my now ex- boyfriend. Narrator: ”Why do you want to share your story?” Olivia_ingram: “I share my experience, not for attenttion”, she explained “ but to let others know they are not alone, many men and women refrain from reporting sexual assault, for a variety of reasons, I did not report such extreme assaults on my person, I already felt guilty, ashamed, and isolated, I did not want anyone to know about it, until I turned 21. Narrator: What would you say to victims who have not come out with their story quite yet? Olivia_ingram:  She then ended the interview with “You are not alone, reach out if you need support, concerning your own experience or if you think somebody else is endangered or a silenced victim, or if you need a friend do not be afraid to reach out and talk about what happened. I know when I came out it was hard at first but it has helped me cope with my terrible experience.

Narrator:  I then thanked her for letting me interview her. She had made great points about reaching out and getting help is a great way to cope, I feel the next step in awareness is spreading positivity, and empowering parents to continue prevention and exposure to predators. As u can see through basic information on child development defining sexual abuse and learning effective strategies we as a nation can prepare by creating tools for parents and caretakers to take actions towards prevention and awareness to keep everybody safe.