One in three women reports being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point during their lives. Every two minutes, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States. More than five children die every day in the U.S. as a result of child abuse and neglect. But, beyond the numbers are the short and long term effects survivors of trauma may experience.
While every person experiences these events differently and responds in their own way, the effects can range from feelings of depression to feeling distrust for others, making it difficult to build new relationships or maintain current ones. Trauma may influence the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of survivors. The Joyful Heart Foundation understands that the healing journey is a personal process without any specific timeline. Their approach to healing focuses on the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.
Joyful Heart is paving the way for innovative approaches to treating trauma, igniting shifts in the way the public views and responds to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and reforming and advancing policies and legislation to ensure justice for survivors. Since its inception, Joyful Heart Foundation raised $33.5 million and leveraged more than $147 million in donated goods and services to end this violence forever. The organization has reached more than 18,700 survivors and healing professionals with its transformative programs, connected over 4.25 million visitors online to provide resources and life-saving help, and has affected policy changes in jurisdictions from New York to California–including enacting rape kit reform laws in 14 states in 2016.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or coping with the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse, the resources and hotlines below are available 24 hours a day.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1.800.799.7233
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
1.800.656.4673
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
1.866.331.9474
National Child Abuse Hotline
1.800.422.4453
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1.800.273.8255
To learn more about how you can support a survivor, visit Joyful Heart’s website.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
