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April 2, 2013 Dear Family and Friends, As some of you may know, this past year has been a rough battle for me mentally and emotionally. With all that life has thrown me this past year, and still coming my way, I guess you could say I reached by breaking point. I am about to do something I never thought would have ever come to the surface. As my therapist would say, I am using my voice. This isn't going to be easy for me but I want, and need, to get my story out there to first help me heal and second to help others that might be struggling to find their voice. My story started 37 years ago with I was 7 years old. My older sister married Joel Bennett. Shortly thereafter I became a victim of his sexual abuse. I won't go into great details about what he actually did but I will tell you that from 7 years old until I was 12/13 years old, he sexual abused me - mainly in my dad's brick garage. Sleeping at their trailer when I was 18 years old, I was a victim of his once again in the middle of the night. My twin sister was sleeping next to me when I woke to discover Joel was molesting me again. To this date there are times that his sexual abuse is extremely vivid to me. Times I wish I could escape. I have feared for many years that I would let me secret slip out. Now you may ask me why I have waited so long to tell my story. Truth, I WAS SCARED! I THOUGHT I WAS HIS ONLY VICTIM. Who would believe me? Why would they believe a very young child who knew nothing about what was happening to her? When I was younger, I hd no clue who or where to turn to. As time past I buried it inside my heart. With each passing year I thought it was getting easier. Boy was I wrong!!!!!! With all that has gone on in my life this past year, I've discovered that things had to give inside me. So in November of 2012, in the middle of the night, I broke down. Feeling as though some one had taken over my body, I spilled my guts to my husband of almost 22 years. Needless to say, he was more then shocked. I cannot begin to tell you what a weight was lifted off of me. (However, there are times still today that I wish I would have never let my secret out.) He held me close and said we are going to get you help. I have been getting professional help since November. With my therapist help and my physician, I have started down a very long road of healing. Not forgetting, but coping with the abuse. I have been able to get my voice and use my voice. Feeling freedom for the first time since I was a young girl. Earlier I mentioned that I thought I was his only victim. Well as I began to use my voice and tell my story, I have come to find out that I am not his only victim. There are others. How many? I don't know for sure but I do know that I AM NOT ALONE. The OSBI has been investigating, however at this time nothing has legally been done toward him. Now I never intended for this to go the OSBI but by law, my therapist was required to report the abuse. I know my story is out there, but I am not sure that everyone is getting the whole story. I have decided to speak up and tell my story because I don't won't another soul to suffer what I and his other victims have suffered. I want people to know my story for I AM NO LONGER A VICTIM OF JOEL BENNETT but I AM A SURVIVOR!!! I want everyone to know that I am very blessed and have a wonderful supportive family and group of friends. I would like to thank them all for their support and love. It is important that you understand that Joel and others like him, can be deceiving. Trusting someone like this is a mistake. Leaving your children alone with him is a mistake. DON'T ALLOW THEM TO BECOME VICTIMS. DON'T LEAVE THEM ALONE WITH ANYONE THAT MAY ABUSE THEM. If you are a victim of sexual abuse or suspect you know of a child who is being abused, every State has a 1-800 hotline number. Oklahoma's number is 1-800-522-3511 and the web site is www.okdhs.org. Let your voice be heard and CALL IT NOW! No Longer a Victim, Sonya Cope Wylie