04/12/2026
A Note to My Community: Today I am sharing a deeply personal piece for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It contains discussions of trauma and childhood abuse. Please hold space for yourself as you read.
Honoring All Survivors This April Through Awareness, Advocacy, and Action
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is a time to pull back the curtain on a reality too often shrouded in shame and silence. To talk about sexual violence is not to be weak or fragile or taboo—it is an act of power and courage. It is about reclaiming our truths and supporting those of us forced to carry the burden, and shame alone, while the perpetrators live life free of consequence.
The Reality for Women in the U.S. ...
In the United States, the statistics are a sobering reminder of why we must continue to speak up and stick together.
1) 1 in 5 women will experience sexual violence. This occurs across the lifespan—as children, teens, and adults—often recurring multiple times.
2) Marginalized communities carry a heavier burden: nearly 1 in 3 Black women and over 4 in 5 Indigenous women experience sexual violence.
3) Safety is a myth: In 60% of cases, the survivor knows the person who harmed them.
These are not just numbers; they are our sisters, brothers, friends, mothers, fathers, and colleagues. Trauma-informed advocacy means shifting the question from "What is wrong with her?" to "What happened to her?" It means acknowledging that the "invisible wounds" of PTSD, C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression are normal responses to abnormal events.
The Hidden Truth of Our Children...
While the conversation often focuses on adults, there is a deeper truth we must confront, the sexual assault of our children.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys will experience sexual abuse before age 18. For many, the "home" that should have been a sanctuary became a place of confusion. Unlike adults, children often lack the words to articulate what is happening to them or the power to stop it.
When we talk about "little boys and girls," we aren't just talking about the past—we are talking about the adults they become. Many survivors spend their lives navigating a world that feels inherently unsafe, blaming themselves for things they had no power to control—things that changed them at a cellular level as their brains were still developing.
Life After the Storm, A Path to Recovery...
Recovery is not a straight line, and it is sure not a cure. It is the slow, sometimes very painful, courageous process of reclaiming our story. Trauma may have rewritten our nervous system, but it does not have the final say on our identity. You are more than what happened to you. I know that sounds clique, but it's true. After 46-years of recovery, and working in the trauma informed field of Yoga Therapy, it is true! There is hope...
Healing is possible. Through specialized therapies like EMDR or somatic experiencing, support groups, or the patient building of safe relationships, survivors can find ways to feel grounded in their bodies again.
It is never too late to come home to yourself. Whether the harm happened yesterday or 53 years ago, your voice matters, you matter. Your healing—and the life you build beyond the storm matters—and it's worth every ounce of effort it takes to overcome what was done to you.
If you are a survivor—of childhood sexual abuse or adult sexual assault—the shame was never yours to carry. It belonged to the person who harmed you. This month, and every month, I stand with you in the light—feet firmly planted on this earth as survivors, as warriors.
With much love & gratitude, Debra Wolfe, C-IAYT
Resources for Support:
RAINN (National Sexual Assault Hotline): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: nctsn.org
NSVRC (National Sexual Violence Resource Center): nsvrc.org
