Sins of the Body

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Victims of sexual abuse will disclose their painful story to an average of nine people before anyone believes them.
Michael E. Phillips

My wife and I strolled along hand in hand. It wasn't often we took a break from our four kids to enjoy one another. We walked past the local movie theater, and I waved to some people I knew. This is the beauty of living in a small town: you know at least half the people you run into.

"Hey Mike, can I talk to you a minute?" a voice called from behind me. I recognized Gary's voice. Our local social worker, he attended our church, and we'd collaborated many times.

"What's up, Gary?"

"Has Steve come to talk to you?"

"No. I haven't spoken to him for weeks."

Gary paused. Internal alarm bells began sounding as I watched his tremulous expression. Obviously he wanted to say something serious but didn't know how.

"Is Steve in trouble, Gary?"

"He sure is! I mean, this is really big, Mike." My wife looked back at us a few paces behind her. Gary noticed her and nodded a greeting. Then he drew me close. "He's been charged with sexually abusing his foster daughter — ten separate incidents. He could be put away for five years."

"It can't be true," I said in disbelief. "Has anyone checked out her story? She was abused before, you know, and she could have …"

"He already admitted it, Mike."

As my wife and I walked away from that deadening disclosure, I thought back to my first association with child sexual abuse. A woman in our church phoned me one night after supper, wanting to talk about sexual abuse. She queried me to find out all I knew on the subject. Within three minutes I had given her all I knew, and most of that was bluffing.

"Would you like to know more, Pastor?" Ah, the golden question! I'd ...

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