Living in a World of Sexual Secrets

Patricia Eagle was thirteen when the sexual relationship with her father - a relationship that began when she was four years old -- ended. Patricia's journey is one of courage and hope as she finds the strength to see what was unseeable - and finally speaks the unspeakable to help herself and others.

For Patricia, shame became too great a burden. Not speaking up added to that weight. Sexual abuse is so prevalent - so many abused children, so many

perpetrators injured in some way that leads them to

inflict injury - and all this in our big world of

secrets. How can anyone get help when we don't

talk about this? Patricia decided to step into that

pool of courageous survivors who have told their story. She believes that continuing to stay silent would have killed her.

In Patricia's interview, she addresses the questions many people have regarding the sexual abuse of children.

Have attitudes about addressing childhood sexual abuse changed? What can we do to erase

the stigmas about openly discussing these issues?

How can we protect children from sexual abuse? Are there signs to watch out for? How can our culture help perpetrators understand the harm they cause and get the

help they need? 

Childhood sexual abuse survivors are at a greater risk of PTSD, depression and other mental health issues. How did your experiences with this affect your life?