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The Dark Secret No One Wants to Talk About

Mackenzie Phillips' interview with Oprah certainly resulted in one of the buzz-generating stories of the last week. In the interview and her recent book release, "High On Arrival", Phillips shares a disturbing tale describing a drug-induced rape by her father which later evolved into a decade-long consenual relationship.

With family members weighing in on both sides of confirming and denying the report, it's truly impossible for us to know if the story is real. However, the sad tale certainly does bring awareness to an issue that is one of America's most depraved dark secrets: incest.

The statistics tell us that 93% of juvenile sexual assault victims know their attackers, with an estimated 34% of the attackers being family members.

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, the following stats convey the horrific ripple effects of those who suffer at the hands of those closest to them...

Victims of sexual assault are:

  • 3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
  • 6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
  • 26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
  • 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

The only hope these girls have for recovery is to seek help. The dark secret must be brought to the light.

 

Merritt Johnston

Executive Director
Merritt loves writing, watching American Idol, and skydiving on occasion. She currently lives in...

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