Last week we had Nicole Braddock Bromley come speak in chapel. Wow, what a story she had! It was a story of brokenness; it was a story that is too common in today’s society. Nicole Braddock Bromley suffered from being sexually abused growing up. As she gave statistics my heart sank. She explained that 1 out of every 3 girls are sexually abused. Can you even fathom that statistic? I couldn’t. I knew that the reality of sexual abuse was much more then led on to. I have found some of my closest friends having suffered from similar situations as Nicole’s. However, I am still shocked when I hear of a girl being treated this way. Unfortunately, because sexual abuse has become so common in our world many have become desensitized to the very fact that it is wrong. They feel that it is just another way of proving we are in a fallen world; it’s just apart of life. They’re right in saying that it shows the brokenness that is in our world, however we should never see it as “just apart of life.” It isn’t just apart of life; this is not how this life was created to be.  It was created good. Therefore, we should not be desensitized by the sins of the world; they should horrify us! As Nicole told her story…I felt people desensitizing themselves all around me. Almost as if they didn’t feel right to be uncomfortable by the story or like the story shouldn’t surprise them. Oh, but it should…it should make you feel awkward and we should always be surprised to hear of something so horrible happening.

Nicole Braddock Bromley’s mission is to raise awareness of the reality of sexual abuse. I think this is both for those who have suffered under sexual abuse so that they can find healing and those who have not suffered under it so that they can be used to help and support those who have suffered. Either way, they both take us being sensitive about the reality and horror of sexual abuse.  It was amazing to have Nicole Braddock Bromley at school. Not only did she remind me of the reality of sexual abuse, in which I too have been guilty of desensitizing myself, I also was left with a passion for those who have suffered from sexual abuse. I was left praying that they would find healing.