'Words' Make One More Than a Victim
Tara Simoncini
Issue date: 11/10/03 Section: Student Life
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Phyllis Hefner a NOVA care worker spoke on November 3, at Bucks for the Human rights forum program "Breaking the silence, Daring to speak: Words make one more than a victim". This event discussed people-mainly women who have been victimized by sexual abuse.
The beginning of this program Dr. Christopher Bursk faculty adviser to the Human Rights Club, who organized the forums, and called all the speakers. Put paper leaves and lollypops on each seat and had the audience write on each leaf, so they would be able to sound their voices.
These leaves will be placed on the tree of words, write on each one of them an expression of concern for someone you know or for yourself, so these voices will no longer be silenced, by violence, abuse, racism, poverty, homophobia, illiteracy, or fear. The lollipops are to represent a child's innocence," said Bursk.
Hefner created an organization to help woman who have been a victim of sexual abuse and other crimes. It's a 10-14 week program to help women to deal with what has happened to them. It helps women learn to begin to appreciate them selves once more. Hefner also developed a 24-hour hotline if you are embarrassed, but need to speak to someone.
Hefner showed a movie called "The healing years", directed by Kathy Barbini. This tape showed that there are people out there who can overcome this dilemma, and this is a stepping stone in which to help create a better life for yourself.
One of the women in this film was a former Miss America; Marilyn Van Derbur. Van Derbur was raped by her father. She felt that she was dirty, a slut if she told anybody about what had happened to her. At first she just felt this is how father's portrayed their love and that her father really loved her. She went to therapy when she was 40-years-old, due to the fact that she had a nervous break down. It took her 53 years to realize that it was not her fault and that she did not bring this upon herself.
Another woman Barbara Hamilton has had sexual abuse in her family for three generations. She talked about how in 1929 her father would join her in bed when she was 9-years-old. Hamilton was afraid to tell for she thought her mother would abandon the family, and not love her anymore. In 1976 she finally went to therapy and told them that her father did strange things to her. While leaving home from this meeting, she heard on the radio a song called "Leave me alone, why don't you leave me alone," Hamilton.
The beginning of this program Dr. Christopher Bursk faculty adviser to the Human Rights Club, who organized the forums, and called all the speakers. Put paper leaves and lollypops on each seat and had the audience write on each leaf, so they would be able to sound their voices.
These leaves will be placed on the tree of words, write on each one of them an expression of concern for someone you know or for yourself, so these voices will no longer be silenced, by violence, abuse, racism, poverty, homophobia, illiteracy, or fear. The lollipops are to represent a child's innocence," said Bursk.
Hefner created an organization to help woman who have been a victim of sexual abuse and other crimes. It's a 10-14 week program to help women to deal with what has happened to them. It helps women learn to begin to appreciate them selves once more. Hefner also developed a 24-hour hotline if you are embarrassed, but need to speak to someone.
Hefner showed a movie called "The healing years", directed by Kathy Barbini. This tape showed that there are people out there who can overcome this dilemma, and this is a stepping stone in which to help create a better life for yourself.
One of the women in this film was a former Miss America; Marilyn Van Derbur. Van Derbur was raped by her father. She felt that she was dirty, a slut if she told anybody about what had happened to her. At first she just felt this is how father's portrayed their love and that her father really loved her. She went to therapy when she was 40-years-old, due to the fact that she had a nervous break down. It took her 53 years to realize that it was not her fault and that she did not bring this upon herself.
Another woman Barbara Hamilton has had sexual abuse in her family for three generations. She talked about how in 1929 her father would join her in bed when she was 9-years-old. Hamilton was afraid to tell for she thought her mother would abandon the family, and not love her anymore. In 1976 she finally went to therapy and told them that her father did strange things to her. While leaving home from this meeting, she heard on the radio a song called "Leave me alone, why don't you leave me alone," Hamilton.
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