From Deseret News archives:
Secret shame: Lifelong impact Victims, families, society cope with effects of abuse
Is she a victim or isn't she? Julie is 26 now. It's been more than 20 years since the first sexual assault happened, but she still struggles with that question.
Is she a victim or not?
Lately the young woman has been talking to friends about her childhood history especially since everything blew up with her family and she's been having to relive the details again.
Her friends tell her she needs to get some professional help. "But I don't want to get help," Julie exclaims. "I don't want to be broken."
Julie is not her real name. She has a baby boy now, is married and is really trying to move away from the memory of childhood sex abuse that has continued to rear its head through her young life.
She was a toddler, she says, maybe 3 or 4, when her teenage stepbrother first started his abuse. She remembers it lasted until she was about 5. By then the damage was already done.
"My whole life, for as long as I can remember," said Julie. "I looked at myself as the neighborhood whore."
Of the 20,340 cases Child Protective Services investigated in Utah last year, 26 percent involved allegations of sexual abuse, second only to domestic violence.
Betournay called the figure shocking. "That speaks to how serious of an issue it is, not just in Utah but nationwide," he said.
Rape is the one violent crime in Utah that has been higher than the national average over the past several years. Yet only one in 10 rapes gets reported to authorities, according to the Rape in Utah survey.
The impact of sexual assault on Utah victims poses a huge concern for officials here.
"It impacts a significant segment of people in our state, and I fear it's a growing problem," said Ron Gordon, head of the Office of Crime Victim Reparations.
It's not just the numbers that are devastating, Gordon said. "It's the impact on the victim and their family and the way people respond to this crime. We are creating a situation where people don't feel comfortable telling others about what's happened to them."
Recent comments
Re: Depressing..
I am a survivor who does not wish to remain so....
Summer | March 28, 2008 at 6:10 p.m.
If anyone who questioned the connection between divorce and sexual...
For the curious | March 19, 2008 at 4:02 p.m.
One thing nobody seems to get, is that child molesters choose their...
elsie | March 19, 2008 at 12:08 a.m.
- Should your walls go black? 11:34 a.m.
- Insulation before new windows 11:32 a.m.
- Living with children 11:17 a.m.
- Murder-suicide in West Jordan 11:08 a.m.
- Stand-in for traditional cranberr 11:04 a.m.
- Family physician cuts out middlemen 11:02 a.m.
- Leaders visit southernmost city 10:59 a.m.
- Memo out again tonight for Jazz 10:47 a.m.
- Health care bill faces a crucial vote 10:33 a.m.
- Life requested in Italy murder case 10:06 a.m.
- Mailman's nomination delivered
- 4A: Timpview wins 4th in 4 years
- Can BYU throw vs. Air Force?
- U. professor dies after fall from bus
- Unga's status 'a game-time decision'
- Cougars cruise to victory in Hawaii
- Huntsman blasts media over trip
- TCU still has a chance
- Orem man acquitted in tot's death
- Jazz finally win in San Antonio
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
183 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
169 - BYU, Utah struck gold in coaches
124 - Lies shatter Utah family
123 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
115 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
100 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
98 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
96 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93 - Huntsman pleased with Obama
86
A little after midnight Wednesday morning, about 21 hours ago as I write...
There's a lot of reason to leave your plastic home as you shop:
Thank you. To be WILLING to offer the seat is gentlemanly, and a woman...
Why couldn't I hear the Aggie fight song during the telecast? I hope it's...
pass interference. just because you dont think so doesnt make it so. the...
Take the minutes Fess and continue to learn and all the while improve your...
What a clown. Wimmer definitely leads the league in stupidity statistics.
"Carl Wimmer will "SOON" be looking for a new Job outside of Utah very...
Boring!!!! Turn the page!!! The Asterisk is for the size of the TV band....
"The point of no return is reached when those living on government largesse...
Both teams didn't deserve to win because one of them scored more points than...
"to davis for getting so far with players that actually live in your...


