| The Silver Braid Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Network Metro Atlanta Area |
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| Operation Silver Braid We are a comnunity outreach alliance, reaching out to those in our communities helping them find help to recover from the devistating experiences of sexual exploitation. The Silver Braid In our program, we have developed a symbol to describe the set of tools and techniques that we find useful on our recovery path. We use the symbol we call: "The Silver Braid." The Silver Braid is a symbol of both integration and interconnectedness. Your recovery and participation in this program is vital for the creation of "The Silver Braid." Today, with the help of other recovering survivors, and our suggested techniques for recovery, you are empowered to re-vision and rebuild your life. Strand by strand, as one survivor connects with another, together we create "The Silver Braid." Finally, the cycle of victimization ceases, and we create a new community where there is absolutely zero tolerance for sexual abuse. We become a part of the solution for a healthier life for both ourselves and others. To get a sense of what the image of the braid implies on a personal level, imagine a silver braid that connects your inner experience to your outer experience.The strength of your "Silver Braid," is equivalent to the strength of your "core personal integrity." We believe these are important concepts for survivors to grasp since during the abuse process our core of personal integrity was damaged. To survive the sexual abuse, we split off, disassociate from our inner, authentic experience. We call this "The Split" How then, can we begin to strengthen "The Silver Braid?" How can we attain or experience a strengthened core personal integrity? We can begin by sensing, knowing and beginning to trust in the validity of our own feelings. We can continue on our path by rebuilding an awareness of how our thoughts, words and beliefs (internal) are connected to what shows up out there (external). When we can begin to recognize how our inner wounds (the aftereffects) have played into our patterns of victimization, we can then learn more effective ways of responding to others and our own internal dialogues, or "self-talk." We are creating a new collective consciousness. We are breaking through society's denial. Together, by sharing our painful secrets, we each contribute to this "braid," and each "strand" creates a new collective experience, where sexual exploitation is de-glamorized, de-mystified, and ultimately stops. What is Core Personal Integrity? In a normal childhood setting, we, over time experience a correlation between our inner experience and the outer results. In other words, we learn that there is congruence between our thoughts and words and the resulting actions. We call this congruence our core personal integrity. When we experience abuse, neglect and abandonment, our core of personal integrity is broken. To survive, we often must disassociate, or split off from our true authentic experience, or it would be far too painful. We learn that it is not safe to experience core personal integrity. The concept of the Silver Braid helps us visualize the process of integration. As survivors, we will need to find ways to strengthen the Silver Braid, that connection to our core personal integrity. Here are a few suggestions for healing: The strength of our "Silver Braid" , comes from one survivor talking to another. We do not do this work alone. We go to meetings. We create a Recovery Notebook to place our aftereffects checklists, and our thoughts about our growth. Together we work to uncover, discover, and discard the symptoms that no longer serve or empower us. We explore bringing God into our lives. We define this as higher power, or just Spirit. It's our choice. We use creativity to assist in our healing process. We begin to see that as we heal, as we help another survivor, as we share our experience, strength, and hope, the Silver Braid reaches across all boundaries. For just as sexual crimes affect our lives, sexual healing and developing personal integrity causes a ripple effect around the world. The Silver Braid Empowering Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Toll Free Hotline: 1-888-702-7273 Email: sisasurvive@yahoo.co |
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| " If we can all begin to speak out, to tell the truth about all forms of sexual exploitation, we can begin to empower each other. There is nothing glamorous about the co-modification of human sexuality especially when more and more, it is our children who are for sale." Anne Bissell |
| ~The Mighty Phoenix~ Like the mighty phoenix those of us who are survivors, will rise above that storm we were in and come back out of the fiery ash, on top and soar in the clouds of victory that we haven't been defeated by our perpetrators. ~Marie Waldrep~ |
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| Subscribe to thesilverbraidsurvivorsnetwork |
| [DIGNITY] USA: Operation SilverBraid Launched in 25 US cities DIGNITY@LISTSERV.URI.EDU Juliette Chandler, the national outreach coordinator for the charitable organization Voices for Justice Network, wants to help you launch a survivors program in your city. There are now Programs running in 25 US cities, and internationally. Underneath the Voices for Justice Network umbrella: www.thesilverbraid.org, www.sexindustrysurvivors.com, www.sexualabusesurvivors.com silverbraidca@yahoo.com NATIONAL TOLLFREE HOTLINE 888 702 7273 Operation Silver Braid, Anne Bissell, and the Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Network can be viewed by copying this link into your web browser: http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/2855381.html Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery, Part 3 Lauren Burgoyne Anne Bissell can remember her stepfather sexually abusing her when she was a young child. She ran away from home to escape the abuse but was trafficked as a prostitute. Bissell was able to escape the clutches of the industry at age 22 and started organizations to help victims. "Sex Industry Survivors Anonymous," which holds meetings in 20 states including Wisconsin and "The Silver Braid Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Network." If you or someone you know is a victim of trafficking call the number below. National Rescue and Restore Coalition 1-888-373-7888 To get connected to Anne Bissell, "Sex Industry Survivors Anonymous" or "The Silver Braid Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Network" visit the link below. http://www.annebissell.com/index.html In the Atlanta Area, please contact: Marie Waldrep Online Outreach Silver Braid - Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Metro Atlanta Area www.thesilverbraid.org Email: thesilverbraidatl@yahoo.com http://www.vfjnw.org www.sexindustrysurvivors.com www.sexualabusesurvivors.com/ |
| The Silver Braid poem
The Silver Braid Coming together strand by strand Survivors everywhere taking hold, of each others hand Walking this healing path together Encouraging each other, Watching as our strength grows and grows A sisterhood of women, survivors Once feeling out of place, Lonely and cold, finding the strength now To be brave and tell our truths We now know we had no power Over the things that happened to us on those days To our higher power we give our praise Uniting, taking each others hand, building Integrity, the Silver Braid Strengthening each unit strand by strand Written by: Author Marie Waldrep |
| Anne Bissell and Marie Waldrep
Joining hands together to help other survivors in Georgia and other states to join us as we walk together, telling our truths along the healing path to recovery and rebuilding our lives. |
| Operation Silver Braid/LIVE/Internet Radio
Darkness To Light: Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence The Darkness to Light Show: Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence, hosted by Kathleen Brooks, Ph.D. is a talk show designed to both feature experts in the area of child sexual abuse and offer an arena for people who are concerned about this issue to discuss and share their experiences of courageously facing and healing this global epidemic. Show Listings 9/6/2006 Click her to listen: Helping Survivors of Sexual Exploitation My guest will be Anne Bissell, Founder of Voices for Justice, co-founder of Sexual Abuse Recovery Anonymous and Silver Braid--Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Network Forum. She is the author of the Julie West Series, MEMOIRS OF A SEX INDUSTRY SURVIVOR. Anne shared her personal story of sexual abuse, domestic violence and prostitution. She shared her alarm at the sexualization of young girls and the ignorance of Americans about the prevalence of trafficking children for sex that goes on all over this country. Children are kidnapped from their homes even in small towns and it is going on undetected in motels and homes in many neighborhoods and in every city. Anne Bissell, the Executive Director of Voices for Justice Network/Operation Silver Braid appears this Thursday, September 27, 2007 on the Montel Williams show. Check for the listing in your city for time and station. The topic is teen prostitution. Anne Bissell discusses our nation's silent epidemic and her book, "Memoirs of A Sex Industry Survivor," and her work to help sex industry survivors. http://www.montelshow.com/show/today/Thursday/ |
| Sisters We must Not Forget
poetry by Anne Bissell Author/Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor/Executive Director www.thesilverbraid.org OPERATION SILVER BRAID Sisters, we must not forget Must not forget those who paved the way Those who showed us we could Rise above Be something better We are almost forgetting We begin to believe the Images on the screen Porn Stars as goddess Big as life On times square We can all tell you who she is But who was Betty Friedan? Who started the women’s movement? The twenty something girl isn’t sure who Gloria Steinem is But she knows who the porn star is She believes what the pornographers have said Liberation is getting gang banged on camera It’s a feminist statement, She says Freedom of choice! Rap stars raping pre-teens and winning awards Pimps snatching up our daughters No we must remember Our sisters who told us We didn’t have to be just A body part… We need to remember the fight Now we are Strong joining together again Grabbing a hold of The Silver Braid. |
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Voices for Justice Network (www.Vfjnw.org) Helping Survivors of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse |
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| ~Jane Doe~
Another Jane Doe Once an innocent young girl Kidnapped Now called a hoe Beaten and Sexually Abused Made to do things far too graphic for anyone to understand Miserable Tired of that life Waiting for the moment to make her escape Knowing it could be her only hope Or a very fatal mistake This is the chance she is willing to take Making it to a shelter She made her break Her pimp found her He makes an example of her To let the other girls know Don't do as she did Or you will be beat to death Young, only seventeen She had a beautiful name We call her Jane Doe Written By: Marie Waldrep |