When I was a young teenager, my best friend at the time came to me and told me that her pastor was “doing things” to her he should not be doing. She made me promise not to tell, but even at 14, I knew that was a promise I could not keep. I told my mother, who confronted the man. I watched as my young teenage friend was actually blamed for causing this man to “fall into sin”. This was the label she lived with then, and still lives with to this very day in the eyes of some people. Very shortly thereafter, I found out that another man I absolutely idolized had done the same thing– years later I found out that another dear friend of mine was actually one of his victims. As a young girl, my world was turned upside down because of what had been done to my friends; I realize now that TELLING was the best thing I could have done at the time. However, as an adult, I am passionate about doing more–doing whatever I can to prevent this from happening to young girls and boys, taking the power away from these monsters who prey on them, but when it does, helping ensure that these kids are able to report the crimes and move on to their own healing.
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