I am the mother of a sexually abused child. When my daughter was in college, I learned that she was a survivor of incest. It was a devastating day to learn that she endured six years of abuse and did so in silence as so many who are abused do. It is one of the worst nightmares you can wake up to as a mother and parent. It was equally devastating to learn that it was my father.

I am not a therapist, nor do I have any professional training in abuse. I am a mother who wants to share her story with others so we can shed the shame, open the dialogue on this issue, and work toward ending childhood sexual abuse.

Why was M*OASIS created? When I first learned of what happened to my daughter, I immediately looked for others who may have had a similar experience. I found lots of resources for survivors and parents of children who were abused. There are even a few resources for partners and spouses. But if you are a parent of an adult survivor, the resources really start to dwindle.  M*OASIS aims to fill that need.

Why do supporters need help?

The trauma of childhood sexual abuse can lead to long-term struggles experienced by the survivor. These can include a range of physical, psychological, interpersonal, and emotional challenges such as depression, eating disorders, hyper/hyposexualization, and difficulties trusting others. Studies like this one show the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Supporting a survivor will take patience and compassion, and it can be frustrating at times to watch someone you care for struggle. M*OASIS serves to be a place where we can grow and learn how to support our survivors while also taking care of ourselves.

M*OASIS for anyone looking to understand how to support a survivor of incest and sexual abuse. While I am a mom and some of the resources and articles may be skewed toward that perspective, my hope is that M*OASIS will be a resource for friends, partners, siblings or any family member trying to figure out how to support an adult survivor.