TEXAS
OA Online
Saturday, May 6, 2017 5:00 am
By Bob Campbell bcampbell@oaoa.com
Large numbers of church-goers live with the sexual abuse they suffered as children, Odessa ministers say, but never go to their pastors or seek the help they need.
As a result, their lives are often distorted by marital problems, drug and alcohol abuse and obsessive work that keeps those sensitive issues in the dark.
The Revs. Russell Nebhut, Mark Woodruff and Becky Hand and support group leader Kim Baker say a reassuring atmosphere is necessary for the victim to confide in a pastor or counselor.
“Once they realize there is a safe environment where they can be honest about their past, they’re usually ready to talk about the hurts,” Nebhut said. “That opens them up to deal with a lot of different issues. For some it’s anger, for others a sense of helplessness whenever they think about the abuse from when they were 8, 10 or 12 years old. For all of them, there is a lack of self-worth.
“It took me 35 years to finally admit it and share it with someone,” said Nebhut, explaining that he was sexually exploited as a child. “Abused people tend to be driven Type A over-achievers who get some sense of value because of what they’re accomplishing. But inside, they’re dying.”
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