Nobody wants to be a victim of sexual abuse. No one wants the label, the pointed fingers, or the lingering stigma. Victims simply want to move forward with their lives. Yet true forward movement is nearly impossible without accountability. Healing cannot fully begin until those responsible are held answerable for the harm they caused. That is the nature of human justice—we long to live in a world that feels fair.

What makes the violation so devastating for children is that the person who harms them is often someone they depend upon for love and protection. It is among the gravest of betrayals: using power and authority to sexually manipulate and abuse a child who not only needs your care, but literally requires it to survive.

I have often tried to find words that adequately describe the feeling of having been a child victim of sexual abuse. Imagine standing in a warm, sunlit field surrounded by hundreds of people who are freely soaring. You long to join them—to truly live. Yet with every attempt, an invisible weight drags you down. It is fastened to your feet, impossible to remove. When you reach for it, you discover it is filled with the foulest filth imaginable. You are surrounded by beauty and possibility, yet tethered to something rotten. No one should ever have to carry that burden.

Some victims bear heavier weights than others—especially those abused as children. None of us asked for this. It feels as though the perpetrator personally tied those weights to us. We do not want their influence lingering in our lives, nor do we want them harming anyone else. We simply want to fly free.

I am often asked what punishment I believe sexual abusers deserve. The truth is, I am not impartial enough to answer fairly. What I can say with absolute clarity is this: sexual abusers should never be allowed near children. Ever.

Statistics reveal a devastating reality: 80% of those who are sexually assaulted never come forward. Over 500,000 babies born this year in the United States will be sexually abused before they turn 18. It is a heartbreaking epidemic.

You have likely noticed the increasing number of public accusations against men in positions of power. I can only hope that every survivor who finds the courage to speak out experiences some measure of relief—as if they are finally beginning to loosen that filthy weight.

Hearing sexual abuse discussed more openly in our culture gives me real hope. I dream of a society where victims can speak without fear of retaliation, where the conversation is no longer shrouded in shame.

The statistics should trouble every one of us: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before adulthood. That is an epidemic by any measure. We cannot address what we refuse to see. These stories belong on the news daily until meaningful change occurs.

Bringing sexual assault into mainstream conversation may help deter future predators. Abusers need to know that we see them, that we are no longer afraid to name the harm they cause. Greater awareness may also give future victims the courage to speak sooner.

Talk about sexual abuse with your family. It is time for families to stop silencing victims simply to avoid discomfort. A monster may never have forced you to hide in a closet, but 25% of girls have looked one in the eyes while their bodies were violated, despite their tears.