A few weeks ago I saw a speech given by a woman who was a survivor of incest. She was sharing her story at a convention organized by Jewish Community Watch (JCW), an organization that brings attention to and combats child sexual abuse in the Orthodox community.

Sex abuse and incest happen in every community, and JCW exists because of the cultural and social restrictions in the Jewish community which sometimes make pursuing these cases especially difficult. But there is no family immune from sexual abuse and part of the reason this brave woman chose to be so brave is to bring that reality to light and to let people hear her truth in the hopes that it can help others.

Rivka Joseph was molested for 10 years by her brother without anyone knowing about it. She discusses the denial, fear, and shame she experienced for her entire life and also the shift in her personality which no one thought to explore once the abuse started. She also discusses the family politics involved with her coming forward and how her family’s refusal to believe her changed the scope of her life as a survivor – in some ways, for the better.

I’m sharing this video of her speech so that it can give hope and support to anyone who has suffered from sexual abuse, particularly in their families.

If you need help or support, here are some resources: