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275 How to Navigate Healing and Trust After Being a Victim of a Violent Crime

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Release Date: 07/18/2024

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Episode Summary: 

As part of our “Sacred Scar Story Series,” my guest, Lisa Saruga, shares part of her story about being a victim of a violent crime on a college campus, and how God is now using her painful wounds to create a sacred scar that helps and encourages others. Latest statistics indicate that about 20% of Americans have experienced attempted or completed rape. That is over 430,000 American victims each year, 1 rape every 73 seconds. Yet only 5 out of 1,000 rapists go to jail. Part of Lisa’s sacred scar is her work toward changing legislation to provide greater protection for victims than perpetrators.


Quotables from the episode:

  • I’m at a point now, where I’m not grateful for the experience I endured, but I am grateful for my sacred scar.
  • There was no healing until I took the time to process the wound.
  • A lot of people post-trauma minimize what they went through, as a form of self-preservation.
  • My experience impacted all areas of my life, including my parenting out of fear that something could happen to my kids.
  • The assault negatively impacted my ability to trust others and God, but ironically it also deepened my faith in God.
  • God is a God of justice.
  • God didn’t purpose for me to experience trauma, but he can and is using it for his purposes.
  • The key to my healing was to surrender to God.
  • God doesn’t forget our experiences. He wants to heal us, but we have to be open to the work that healing entails. God didn’t purpose for you to be abused, but he can use all things for his purpose.
  • I have learned to trust God, his timing, and his faithfulness. He showed me in a powerful way that when we are working to chip away at walls that stand in the way of healing, we have no idea what kind of powerful work he is doing on the other side of that wall.
  • While God does not purpose for us to experience trauma, he can use our trauma for his purposes if we let him. Sometimes he is up to great things when we don’t even sense that he remembers our trauma.
  • I encourage victims to find a support network and talk about the experience. Hiding it away on a back shelf in our brain does not work forever.
  • We all experience bad things in our life. We can heal from trauma with appropriate help, but tragedy results when we don’t heal from the trauma.


Scripture References:

  • Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
  • 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT) He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
  • John 16:33 (NIV) I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

 

Recommended Resources: 

 

Social Media Links for Guest and Host:

Connect with Lisa Saruga:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / X/Twitter

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube

Guest:

Lisa is a licensed professional counselor, keynote speaker, author, and legal and ethical specialist. She specializes in therapy for victims of sexual violence. Her own story resulted in the reopening of her thirty-five-year cold case, when someone finally reported the identity of the man who wore a ski mask when he assaulted Lisa as a freshman in college. The man was never arrested because of archaic laws and loopholes that protect perpetrators over victims. Lisa regularly meets with legislators to advocate for laws to protect victims of sexual violence. She believes that, although God doesn’t purpose for us to experience trauma, he can use every event in our lives for his purposes.

 

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson