Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Celebrate the "Release"
Celebrate the "Release"
The S.A.V.E. (Sexual Abuse/Assault Victim Empowering) Ministry presents a balloon release ceremony that will serve as an outward expression of survivors of sexual abuse/assault releasing their past pain and trauma that sexual abuse/assault brings up into the heavens. Survivors will also be allowed to write on the balloons their pains and frustrations from their sexual traumas before the final release because for to some it will be an expression of the beginning of their healing and to others the the end of their anguish.
The celebration of "release" will be open to the public and all survivors of sexual abuse/assault along with family and friends are urged to attend this ceremony. The ceremony purpose is to raise awareness, educate for the prevention and offer hope in the recovery of sexual abuse/assault survivors and in the community. The ceremony will also hold a moment of silence for victims that have fallen by the hands of their perpetrators with a special recognition of victims LaTausha Curry, 25, raped and killed in January 1999; Melanie Goodwin, 19, raped and killed in September 2007; Rena Ratcliff, 93, raped and killed in February 1998 and Carolyn Casey, 21, whom was raped and killed in May 2000.
The Celebration of "Release" is being sponsored by the S.A.V.E. Ministry, its Founder and Director, Sexual Assault Victim Advocate and Survivor, Lavinia B. Masters and Chaplain Ricky L. Masters along with the Delivered Out Ministries and Sexual Abuse Victim Advocate, Gwendolyn Jones. The ceremony will consist of survivors rendering poetry and sharing their stories; attorney, music producer, author and survivor, Eugene Brooks; Tiffany L. Jackson of the Tiffany L. Jackson Foundation; Denton County Friends of the Family Rape Crisis Center and special musical guest and saxophonist, Jason A. Davis.
Celebrate the "Release" will be held on the steps of Lewisville City Hall at 151 Church St. Lewisville, Texas on Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 10am to noon.
For more information, please contact Lavinia B. Masters 214-235-4082 cell or email laviniamasters@gmail.com
Thanks!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Fireside Chat w/ Author, Producer, Attorney Eugene Brooks
Did you know that sexual abuse/assault trauma does not discriminate? The painful and humiliating effects that occur afterwards affects male the same as female and it hurts the same whether your race is black or white. The pain maybe universal but thank God so is the healing!
So go get some hot chocolate and join Eugene Brooks and I around the fireplace as he has just completed an autobiography entitled Half Black Half White - Trying to Find My Place In America. In his book he chronicled his life and the road he traveled while finding his place in America. He candidly discuss the multitude of issues involved with growing up bi-racial and the confusion that was present during his life due to his nebulous of identity. This "identity crisis," coupled with physical and sexual abuse as a child, led to several addictions. After years of drug and alcohol abuse, brushes with the criminal justice system, and homelessness, he met a man who inspired him and taught him how to be a man. This life-altering event eventually led him to graduating from law school and financial success. In addition to teaching him how to navigate life as a black man , this man also taught him how to be a caring and loving human being. Eugene's mentor answered a question that he had been in search of all my life. Who he was and where to find His Place in America? Join as as you will be blessed and empowered once you encounter this awesome man and hear his testimony! Feel free to log in live @ www.blogtalkradio.com/Lavinia-Masters or call in at 1.347.324.3635 also go to his website HalfblackHalfwhite.com to purchase his book today!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sexual Abuse Survivor Declaration
I am a survivor...I am no longer a victim of my past circumstances.
Today I promise to:
Reach out for my deliverance
Embrace my recovery
Receive my healing and
Release all the pain that sexual abuse and rape trauma brings
Today I am stronger...I now realize that I hold the keys to unlock my empowerment:
I choose to be delivered so that I may fulfill my destiny
I demand my recovery because God and I have a plan
I claim my healing because I know I have a purpose and
I must release the pain so that I can breathe again.
Lavinia B. Masters
copyright protected
Today I promise to:
Reach out for my deliverance
Embrace my recovery
Receive my healing and
Release all the pain that sexual abuse and rape trauma brings
Today I am stronger...I now realize that I hold the keys to unlock my empowerment:
I choose to be delivered so that I may fulfill my destiny
I demand my recovery because God and I have a plan
I claim my healing because I know I have a purpose and
I must release the pain so that I can breathe again.
Lavinia B. Masters
copyright protected
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
What is Domestic Violence?
So many people have the misconception of Domestic Violence. Young and old...married and single.
Domestic Violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone.
Domestic Violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
You may be in an emotionally abusive relationship if your partner:
- calls you names, insults you or continually criticizes you.
- does not trust you and acts jealous or possessive.
- tries to isolate you from family or friends.
- monitors where you go, who you call and who you send time with.
- does not want you to work.
- controls finances or refuses to share money.
- punishes you by withholding affection.
- expects you to ask permission.
- threatens to hurt you, the children, your family or pets.
- humiliates you in any way.
You may be in a physically abusive relationship if your partner has ever:
- damaged property when angry (thrown objects, punched walls, kicked doors, etc.)
- pushed, slapped, bitten, kicked or chocked you.
- abandoned you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
- scared you by driving recklessly.
- used a weapon to threaten or hurt you.
- forced you to leave your home.
- trapped you in your home or kept you from leaving.
- prevented you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
- hurt your children.
- used physical force in sexual situations.
You may be in a sexually abusive relationship if your partner:
- views women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
- accuses you of cheating or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
- wants you to dress in a sexual way.
- insults you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names.
- has ever forced or manipulated you into having sex or performing sexual acts.
- held you down during sex.
- demanded sex when you were sick, tired or after beating you.
- hurt you with weapons or objects during sex.
- involved other people in sexual activities with you.
- ignored your feelings regarding sex.
Please be aware of the warning signs...do not fall prey to any type of abuse. Educate and empower yourselves against it. If you have been a victim of any of these above situations please take caution there is a possibility that you are in an abusive relationship!
Please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline @ 1.800.799.7233 or your local crisis center to talk to someone about it. www.tcfv.org
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I Am Therefore I Am...Finding God in Your Own Heart
Please joining me this Saturday, January 31 @ 10am CST as my guest on blogtalk radio (www.blogtalkradio.com/Lavinia-Masters ) will be Dr. Lawrence Doochin.
Dr. Doochin comes to share with us about his self journey after childhood sexual abuse and about his new book, " I Am Therefore I Am...Finding God in Your Own Heart"
Dr. Doochin stated that: I Am Therefore I Am is about God's love and finding that love in our heart. We were created out of love, so that God, as all that exists, could know Herself and express Her perfect love. We are here to remember and recognize that Love. He goes on to state that : We are not here to acquire more stuff. Recent prosperity books have taught us that thought is creative and that we can manifest abundance. While this is an important step on the path to God, we are meant to go further. Our path is an evolutionary process.
Please join us this Saturday as we discover whom Dr. Doochin was sexually abused by and how it has eternally affected his life. Come share to be informed, enlightened but most importantly empowered!
Be blessed,
Lavinia
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Remember Your Children are Watching You
What kind of behavior do you display around your children? What is acceptable for them to see?
Not just on television or on the radio but what do they see you do at home?
Do you allow your children to see you showing appropriate affection towards others or affection that they are too young to understand but are able to imitate.
Do you allow your children to see you act out as if it you were participating in some drama scene when you become upset with others...remember your children look up to you and nine times out of ten whatever they see their parents do...in their minds it appears acceptable...and they can use it against you.
I remember an instance where a parent was a childhood victim of sexual abuse and never really got closure from it. Her daughter would watch her as she would get so upset about it and cry to others on the phone about it yet never explained to her daughter what she was going through. However she never realized that her child was watching and soon discovered that this was a "trigger" point for her mother in her life.
So one day the little girl got into trouble at school and knew that her mother would punish her and in an effort to save the anger of her mother she told her mother that the teacher "touched" her inappropriately.
Well you can only imagine what happened next...not only did she stir up those conflicting emotions in her mother but her plot to flip the anger worked. Later it was discovered that the little girl had lied on her teacher and the mother was devastated and wanted to know why did she make up such a story!
Long lesson short...the little girl had watch her mother basically become unglued when it came to her talking about her childhood sexual abuse...and the child knew that this would throw her into a "frenzy" if she said that someone committed this barbaric act to her.
I later shared with the mother that children learn the majority of things from home and their parents and we have to be careful not only what we say but what we do around our children. We are a silent video and they are the audience. They take in and absorb everything we say or do...whether negative or positive.
Furthermore if you are suffering from things such as the trauma that childhood sexual abuse brings then we should seek some sort of counseling or help and talk about such things with our children to help or prevent these acts from happening to them.
So next time you curse out your neighbor, light up that cigarette, talk about your friend behind their backs, take something that does not belong to you, or act out uncontrollably when you have been a victim of a past circumstance....remember your children are watching.
Not just on television or on the radio but what do they see you do at home?
Do you allow your children to see you showing appropriate affection towards others or affection that they are too young to understand but are able to imitate.
Do you allow your children to see you act out as if it you were participating in some drama scene when you become upset with others...remember your children look up to you and nine times out of ten whatever they see their parents do...in their minds it appears acceptable...and they can use it against you.
I remember an instance where a parent was a childhood victim of sexual abuse and never really got closure from it. Her daughter would watch her as she would get so upset about it and cry to others on the phone about it yet never explained to her daughter what she was going through. However she never realized that her child was watching and soon discovered that this was a "trigger" point for her mother in her life.
So one day the little girl got into trouble at school and knew that her mother would punish her and in an effort to save the anger of her mother she told her mother that the teacher "touched" her inappropriately.
Well you can only imagine what happened next...not only did she stir up those conflicting emotions in her mother but her plot to flip the anger worked. Later it was discovered that the little girl had lied on her teacher and the mother was devastated and wanted to know why did she make up such a story!
Long lesson short...the little girl had watch her mother basically become unglued when it came to her talking about her childhood sexual abuse...and the child knew that this would throw her into a "frenzy" if she said that someone committed this barbaric act to her.
I later shared with the mother that children learn the majority of things from home and their parents and we have to be careful not only what we say but what we do around our children. We are a silent video and they are the audience. They take in and absorb everything we say or do...whether negative or positive.
Furthermore if you are suffering from things such as the trauma that childhood sexual abuse brings then we should seek some sort of counseling or help and talk about such things with our children to help or prevent these acts from happening to them.
So next time you curse out your neighbor, light up that cigarette, talk about your friend behind their backs, take something that does not belong to you, or act out uncontrollably when you have been a victim of a past circumstance....remember your children are watching.
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