AMARILLO, TEXAS -- April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Family Support Services sponsored its second, "Speak Out" open mic night.
Survivors of sexual assault were invited to come and share their stories with others. The organization said it's an important part of the healing process. The 806 Coffeehouse and Lounge was filled with survivors of sexual abuse on Wednesday evening.
"I was raped in my own home," said Debbie, who didn't give us her last name. It happened two years ago. "It was hard for me to get in and out of my own door because of the way I was living," she continued.
But Family Support Services offered her, and other survivors, a voice. "There's a lot of steps in this journey toward healing and this is one of them," said Janet Byars, the Executive Director of Family Support Services. She continued saying, "We want to help them at whatever stage they're in, from the crisis stage to working though the legal system to ongoing counseling and support groups."
"Staying silent about it, staying in the dark, not talking about it, destroys a person. It destroyed me. Coming forth and speaking up, it's important for all of us to do," said Debbie.
Sadly that "all of us" in Amarillo, is in the hundreds. "There were about 494 sexual assault exams and about 300 of those, at least close to that, were child sexual assault exams," said Byars.
Family Support Services said at least one in five sexual assaults are not reported. It's something Debbie is encouraging survivors to speak up about. We asked her what she hopes when other survivors see her speaking out.
"I hope somebody that has never done that before says "Gosh I hope I can do that someday," and get the courage and do it.
At the end of the month, they're planning Amarillo's first-ever human ribbon. It will represent change and bring awareness and prevention of sexual assault. Everyone is encouraged to wear teal, the color of sexual assault awareness.
