Survivor's Bill of Rights &Addicts Credo

All to often victims of sexual abuse go through will go through periods of feelings of inadequacies,often coupled with fear and or guilt.
To many times they will hear phrases like"you are safe now" or "it's all right"
The people that try and give to what they view as victims these affirmations are almost always well meaning.They are our friends,family and love ones,and as such it is often hard for the survivors of sexual abuse to communicate just what it is we really need to hear.I thinlk perhaps it was with that in mind that a group of very knowledgeable people one day got together and drafted the:

SURVIVOR'S BILL OF RIGHTS

Survivor's Bill Of Rights Drafted by the New Directions Rape Survivors Group 1991-1992

1. The right to be safe from real or imagined dangers.

2. The right to be accepted unconditionally by others.

3. The right to autonomy in decision making.

4. The right to own my successes and failures; to change my mind without judgement and of my own accord.

5. The right to personal safety by any means of my own choosing.

6. The right to financial independence regardless of gender.

7. The right to trust, respect, and honesty in interactions with others.

8. The right to say NO without guilt and have that right respected by my friends, family and others.

9. The right to total control of my mind, body and spirit.

10. The right not to have the will of others forced upon me.

11. The right to happiness and peace of mind.

12. The right to ask for what I need when I need it.

13. The right to fulfill my hopes, needs and dreams.

14. The right to be treated as a sound-minded individual and not as a victim.

15. The right to take control of the night; to own and appreciate the darkness, and sleep without fear, anxiety or nightmares.

16. The right to love and be loved by others without fear of being hurt.

17. The right to own my past; feel pride in my accomplishments and use them as a tool to strengthen myself and others.
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Every support group and twelve step program seems to have one thing in common,a credo,or if you prefer a "mission statement". A set of promises that we make to each other,and most importantly,to ourselfs.
Here is one of my favorite,and the one I repeat each day.

1) We will attain and maintain sobriety.
2) We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
3) We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
4) We will comprehend the word"serenity",and we will know peace.
5) No matter how far down the scale we have gone,we will see how our experiences can benefit others.
6) That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7) We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
8) Self-seeking will slip away.
9) Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.
10)Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
11) We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.
12) We will suddenly realize that a power greater than ourselfs is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Extravagant promises?No,they are being fulfilled all around us,some quicly,some slowly,but they will materialize if we BELIEVE and WORK for them!