Okay so last week I put out my first survey via Facebook and through the newsletter email list.
Out of 101 Responses:
78% have personally suffered abuse in their life.
16% know a relative or a friend who has suffered abuse.
6% know of an acquaintance who has suffered abuse.
TYPE OF ABUSE:
More than one abuse is prevalent for most abuse survivors. Here are the statistics to confirm:
Of the 78% who were personally abused they suffered:
68% were sexually abused
62% were mentally abused (including verbal)
55% were emotionally abused (includes neglect)
48% were physically abused
What I found interesting in this small segment of statistics is that though the abuse is pretty much evenly distributed what is more prevalent is the sexual and mental abuse. When I explain to someone what I do with Hopeful Hearts they immediately assume I work with women who have been physically abused. Granted I do work with woman who have been physically abused in their past but never is it the prevalent abuse and now I have the statistics to somewhat prove it. For those that haven’t suffered abuse it seems to be difficult to understand how something that doesn’t leave a mark can affect someone so deeply.
What AGE did the abuse occur? (Many ages could be chosen as most survivors of abuse have suffered more than one moment…often we get led into many other instances of abuse due to our boundaries being demolished by the first offense.)
0 – 7 years old – 51%
8-13 years old – 55%
13-18 years old – 52%
20+ years old – 44%
Who was the perpetrator? (Again more than one answer could be given as several instances by different people could have occurred.)
80% by a family member
34% by a friend
25% by an acquaintance
7% by a stranger
Those who took the survey were welcome to leave a comment in regards to more detail about their perpetrator (which family member, etc). What I found interesting is that 30% of the abuse committed by family was by the father, 19% by a husband, 12% by a mother, 12% by a cousin, and 10% by an uncle with grandparents (father) at 11%.
How LONG was it before the abuse survivor TOLD about the abuse? This is VERY important information to me because it validates the reason why Hopeful Hearts Ministry was formed … people wait to tell about the abuse or work on healing till many years later.
35% took 10+ years before ever telling anyone about the abuse(s) they suffered.
13% still have not told anyone.
7-10 years later – 6%
4-6 years later – 12%
1-3 years later – 18%
1-11 months later – 8%
Immediately (praise God) – 11%
Professional Help received?
Thankfully 54% have received some form of professional help for the abuse. There are still 26% that have not and 20% that are currently receiving help.
Legal Action Taken?
88% of all of the abuses suffered have never received any form of legal action.
These responses came from all over the United States with a majority of them from the Houston and greater Houston area.
It is a mere sampling of the reality behind the truth of abuse. I pray it helps bring a better perspective as to what ignites my fire to continue each and every day. Thank you to ALL OF YOU who participated in the survey! You are AMAZING and WORTH so much more than what happened to you.
Blessings
Shannon