From Tortured To Treasured

In response to a realization that an estimated 250,000 – 300,000 sex ads are posted of children being sexually exploited and sold online every day, the Tim Tebow Foundation stated: “There’s thin line between tortured and treasured.”

This statistic is conservative as the trafficking and abuse of children is evolving faster than ever through online platforms. Xquisite is committed to bringing the tortured to a place of being treasured. We believe everyone has value and is worthy of a life free from the tortured existence they have had to endure. 

Have you ever met someone who abuses children? Would you recognize an abuser if you walked right by them? Or lived in their neighborhood? Or even if they were in your family? 

Xquisite has learned over the years that 72% of victimizations occur within the immediate family. 22% of victimizations occur from a person of authority in their life. (Cory Jewell Jensen, M.S. Hout). 65% of juveniles victimized are sexually abusing other juveniles. (US Department of Justice)

We must begin to see sexual abuse and exploitation differently. It’s closer than you think!

Hayden Panettiere recently shared why she stayed in a relationship that was abusive: “I was more afraid of being alone than being with someone who was hurting me.” 

We often ask why victims don’t tell anyone. We rarely ask why so many offenders are never recognized. Those are not the same question. One focuses on the actions of the victim. The other focuses on our responsibility to recognize harm sooner. 

We know child sexual abuse is far more common than most people realize.

Yet many people genuinely believe they’ve never met someone who sexually abuses children. That should make us stop and think!

If abuse is this widespread, recognition cannot depend only on criminal convictions or headline cases. It needs to also depend on whether we recognize patterns, listen to children, and take concerns seriously before another child is harmed.

Statistics tell us how common abuse is. Recognition determines whether we prevent it. 

"What do you think makes offending so difficult for society to recognize?” 

(Center of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse; Office for National Statistics)

Survivors live in a private pain. Sexual predators make sure they stay in that confinement.

At Xquisite, over 96% of the survivors we serve have bravely shared during their intake that they were first sexually exploited and assaulted at the age of 3 years old.

3 years old!

That torture sets up a survivor for a lifetime of someone sexually exploiting them, continuing to live in private pain and confinement.

We must recognize this torture for what it is and where it exists and declare it unacceptable.

You have met someone who sexually abuses children. 

Predators are skilled at masking and deflecting the truth of what they do onto their victims, and we have believed it. I challenge you to look beyond the lies of what predators portray and recognize them for who they are and hold them accountable. 

The challenge is overwhelming, but recognizing the hidden destruction for what it is can change trajectories. Staying in abuse and sexual exploitation can no longer be an acceptable choice for anyone. Change the questions and focus on recognizing harm sooner. Stay away from why the victim didn’t leave the predator, because for most, they can’t leave.

Xquisite will be on the other side of the line to treasure our survivors and champion their freedom. Xquisite believes every survivor deserves that same opportunity: to dream big, to be safe from violence and exploitation, and to have the freedom and support to become everything they imagine.

We need you to join our force and refuse to continue to allow predators to sexually abuse our children.