I have recently been to your website looking for answers…i haven’t always been this depressed, i have been sexually abused for 7 years and no matter what my family and i do someone always does it. i haven’t looked into a sexual relationship for “love” i have all the love i need at home. How many of your volunteers have been through what over half of the world has been through….how many know what it’s like to hate the opposite sex? If you don’t know what its like how can you help prevent what happens every day? It’s a battle no one will win because teens are going to do it whether you or anyone else wants them to or not. I guess i have one main question…..how are you going to keep every teen from this when its impossible?

~Jerica

Dear Jerica:

The questions you ask about sexual abuse and “how many know what it’s like to hate the opposite sex?” express so much pain, I hardly know how to respond. I wish I could erase all the things that have been done to you, but I can’t. (What was done to you is illegal. Those who did these things should be prosecuted for their crimes. I advise you to talk to your school guidance counselor or another responsible adult to get the help and protection you need.)

What I can say is that when people misuse love and sex, bad things happen to them, and to others. This is no secret to you or almost anyone else willing to pay attention. Many teens we have contact with understand this very well. Some of them have made these mistakes and have chosen to stop making them. They understand that the time to experience sexual intimacy will come again–later.

Jerica, you say, “its a battle no one will win because teens are going to do it whether you or anyone else wants them to or not. i guess i have one main question…..how are you going to keep every teen from this when its impossible?” Well, you’re right, no one, me included, has the power to “keep every teen from this.” To be honest, there are too many adults who profit from teen sex, from using teens for sex personally or from making money from it.

All we can do is talk honestly about these issues. There are many teens who understand exactly what we’re trying to say, and just need some encouragement to go the right way in their lives. Sometimes the ones who argue the most with us are the ones who most want to receive an answer.

Thank you for sharing some of your painful heart with us. I hope we hear from you again. Please contact us if you need help to get away from your dangerous situation, or if you just want to talk.

Sincerely,
Richard