Advocacy

The following is one abuse survivor’s story of harm at the hands of advocates. A few years ago, I agreed to share her story here on my blog if she would write it out, in her own words. She has done just that. Now I am keeping my end of the bargain.

Hearing the stories of victims who have been blatantly harmed by advocates, they have told me that often the damage done in the name of ‘help’ leaves survivors more deeply harmed than the initial sexual abuse. The more deeply they trust, the deeper that harm. The more deliberate and selfish that harm, the more devastating to the survivor. Those who try to help and get it wrong, but own it and apologize, survivors say they are able to forgive and move on more easily. But where that harm involves further silencing, shaming, blaming and oppressing the survivor, the betrayal runs deep.

The following is one such story, told in the survivor’s words, not mine. She was the first trauma-survivor to share her advocacy trauma with me, and alert me to the abusive practices of some advocates.

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I have been asked how I can turn against Joanna Yoder (Founder of Never Stand Alone), the person who gave me a place to stay and helped me leave my abusive childhood home. Well, I’m here to answer that. I moved in with Jonas and Joanna at the Age 18.

Yes, Joanna helped me leave my abusive home. I will never deny that, but in a short while that all changed and she became a whole different person. She would attend counselling sessions that were supposed to be for me, and turn them into all about her. She would have panic attacks and yell “I can’t handle this, I can’t handle this!” Afterwards, she would scream and be angry, and then take me back to their home. Then, on occasion, she would leave me (and other girls) at home with her husband Jonas while she went to a hotel for the night.

I was forced to do loads and loads of laundry all alone and it had to be done by the time she got back from work or she would start yelling at me. She also would tell us to not wear certain clothes because of Jonas. At one point I, and other girls who were living with them, were called to the garage for a meeting concerning our clothing. She made us stand in front of her husband Jonas and demonstrate how short our shorts were, and do a twirl in front of him. Using her finger, she showed us how long she wanted our shorts to be.

Why was she worried about Jonas? That is a big red flag.

If tasks were not completed as Joanna expected, when she returned home, she would get livid, and pack her bags and fly out the lane in a mad rush only to come back the same day. (This was all a tactic to manipulate us). She pressured me to share details about my sexual abuse that weren’t her business. She also called the parents of the person who raped me to ask if it’s true. When hearing sexual abuse stories from victims who lived in her home, she turned it into being all about her.

Joanna always wanted her way and if she didn’t get it, she would scream and cry until she got it. She thought that trying to hook us up with guys was fun. If I hung out with a guy, she had to know if we had sex or not and, if I refused to say, she would get mad and be like, “no one loves me” and run to Jonas saying, “I can’t do this! I can’t do this! The girls don’t tell me anything after all I did for them.”

Joanna would trash talk us to her friends, but then to our face the would tell us she loved us like we were her own kids. This felt like rejection, and was confusing. She had to know where we were all the time. After I moved out and was living in a rental house they provided, I was two days late with paying rent. I came back home to find my room totally trashed. Later she admitted she had done this. It was a punishment for not paying rent on time.

We survivors who lived with them, were offered Marijuina, as well as alcohol, by Jonas on multiple occasions. For me, this started soon after I moved in. They gave me alcohol at my 19th Birthday Party.

Soon after I moved in with them, Jonas asked me to call him ‘dad’ instead of Jonas. He would hold survivors living with them on his lap.

After bringing to light that I had been raped by her nephew, Joanna told me that I need to apologize to my abuser’s father. The abuser’s father is Joanna’s brother.

Jonas and Joanna claimed they did not charge us girls rent, but then would make us give them $300 cash with every pay check, twice a month.

All of this is why I chose to step away and speak out. because this is abuse. Joanna needs to find healing before helping victims because all she is doing is creating bigger problems for victims that come to her help!

~ Anonymous ~

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Abuse of any kind does great harm. In the name of advocacy and ‘helping’ survivors more harm is done to individuals already suffering, when advocates are not healed and make victims of trauma their projects, or use their ‘service’ to victims for personal agendas. Whatever those agendas may be. These trauma survivors make themselves exceptionally vulnerable when they trust an advocate with their story and their pain. When that becomes a source of fresh trauma, the betrayal and harm runs deep.

It has been said by survivors of both sexual and emotional abuse, and it is documented in academic papers, that emotional abuse in some cases does more harm than sexual abuse (Dye, 2020). The same is true for spiritual abuse. Advocacy has the potential to support and heal, and it has the potential to do incredible harm when advocates are not first healed, and when they use victims for their own purposes. Doing the hard work of healing first, and being formally educated in trauma are the best gifts an advocate can give themselves. Having done so, they are able to offer support to victims without making it about themselves.

As always…
Love,
~ T ~

© Trudy Metzger

Dye, H.L. Is Emotional Abuse As Harmful as Physical and/or Sexual Abuse?. Journ Child Adol Trauma 13, 399–407 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-019-00292-y

https://uihc.org/childrens/news/emotional-abuse-neglect-may-be-more-harmful-long-term-physical-sexual-abuse

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/10/psychological-abuse

In the past few years, the focus of my work with Generations Unleashed has shifted quite dramatically, though it is still very survivor-support oriented. It began with the car crash in 2019 limiting my ability to carry on with seminars as I had been, and then Covid hit. Since that time, I have continued to support survivors online, as well as supporting others — pastors, friends etc — as they walk with survivors. But another shift began soon after the crash. I had long told Tim that one of my goals (on top of returning to doing training seminars) is to be available for victims pressing charges, and for law enforcement, lawyers, DA’s and the victim’s legal teams. I didn’t make this known publicly. By 2020-2021 the requests came in, asking if I would consider being an expert witness in several sexual assault cases, should they choose to call me.

To date, any role as witness has been with evidence to offer. While I offer expert testimony based on my experience and education, I have not negotiated a role as a paid expert witness for a variety of reasons. Since early 2020, all my work has been pro bono, and I completely stopped drawing a wage from Generations Unleashed. I do not wish it ever to be said that we do what we do for the money. It never has been the case. It never will be the case.

I have been considered an advocate in the world of survivors – a title I did not choose but have done my best to fulfill — and continue to do what I can to support survivors. Advocacy, as it is commonly held, is not an identity I choose or carry, but I will continue to support survivors of trauma in any way possible. My heart is to make a positive impact in all areas of supporting survivors and, as always, I am focused on truth, justice and the wellbeing of those who have been seriously harmed.

My work continues to be empowered by my faith in God, even while much of the practical work on this front is not ‘religious’. I believe, without question, that God has called me to continue to expose the injustices and spiritual wickedness in high places, in church. (I recognize it exists in non-religious affiliations and organizations too. That is not my calling). Part of my calling is supporting some of the court cases taking place. I was free to decline the invitation and be subpoenaed in one of two of the cases. I chose willingly to enter the fray, knowing it will cost me significantly to do so. I am encouraged to see cases that were ‘dismissed’ (as a result of LE trying to appease ‘church’ and/or b/c ‘good men’ came forward on behalf of offenders) being revived and unrepentant offenders tried for their crimes. Offenders who lie and cover up are, among all offenders, most dangerous. I unapologetically support the prosecution process and offer my service.

This work is much less public than the past, as I am often not free to speak about details. Rumours trickle out. People reach out and ask questions. But often there is little I am free to say. This is not due to lack of transparency, but rather to give cases their due process.

As I continue to do what God has called me to do, I ask for your ongoing prayers and support through this season. I wish to honour God with my life. I pray for a thick skin and a tender heart in the face of criticism, and the humility to own my failures when I make mistakes. I welcome you to reach out with thoughts, questions or concerns.

My goal is to be transparent, always, with those who walk beside me. I know for some the fact that I am giving myself and my time to legal processes may be a stumbling block. You may no longer be willing to partner in prayer and encouragement. I accept that as the cost for what I must do, though I do regret any confusion or hurt it may cause. Especially to survivors of trauma.

The nature of this present work is also such that most months we receive less than $20 in donations. As a result, Tim and I have largely been funding the costs of carrying Generations Unleashed out of pocket, the past few years. I understand that some will not be comfortable donating, knowing funds will go toward my work supporting survivors in legal proceedings. I am choosing to be transparent so that you are free to make that choice, with no manipulation or without feeling in hindsight that your giving was not used where your heart and faith are invested.

If you are willing to support this work with a one time donation, or with a monthly donation, knowing what I have shared, we would appreciate your support. Donations can be made at: http://www.generationsunleashed.com/donate on the donations page.

Your prayers are always appreciated. I will be called to testify (as a witness, not as a paid expert witness) several times across the USA in the next few weeks, if all goes as scheduled. I would especially appreciate your prayers in this. It is emotionally exhausting work, and hours of testimony remains exhausting with ongoing post-concussion-syndrome as the result of my 2019 accident. I still very much limit the amount of work I do as a result of this, but feel compelled to give what I am able on this front. I trust God to meet my needs on every front.

Thank you for walking with me… with us.

As always…

Love,

~ T ~