NONPROFIT HOSTS
FREE THANKSGIVING DINNER
FOR CHILDHOOD SEXUAL
ABUSE SURVIVORS
BY CASSIDY KLEIN
Thanksgiving and the holidays, with all of their
festivity and collective cheeriness, are right around
the corner. For many victims of childhood sexual
abuse (CSA), however, this season can often be
painful and isolating.
Flushing/Fresh Meadows native Angelica Ramirez,
a survivor of abuse, understands this firsthand. Her
nonprofit organization, Vessel of Life, which offers
healing services to women and children CSA victims,
will be hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner for
survivors Nov. 22 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Queens.
The location has yet to be announced.
Ramirez said she wants to be “an extension
of love” for victims who would otherwise spend
Thanksgiving alone.
“Most survivors want to have happy holidays
like everyone does, but they have two choices,” said
Ramirez. “You can either re-expose yourself to the
trauma, or you can isolate yourself because you
choose to not be retraumatized. So that is really the
value and the essence of this Thanksgiving dinner,
is saying to them, just come. Let us serve you. Let’s
create a family-like environment, and just celebrate
and give thanks.”
According to a study conducted by Darkness
to Light — a CSA prevention organization — 90
percent of CSA victims know their abusers, which
makes the holidays especially difficult as abusers
may are more likely to be present. One out of 10
children will be sexually abused before the age of
18, according to the study, and nearly 70 percent
of all reported sexual assaults occur to children
ages 17 and under.
Ramirez said she was abused as a child by several
uncles and cousins. As an adolescent and adult, she
tried anything she could to move past the trauma,
including experimentation with alcohol and drugs.
Now, she has healthily overcome her trauma and
was inspired to start Vessel of Life in January 2018.
“I’m now at a great place in my life and really
have been able to heal,” Ramirez said. “It was just
this moment of epiphany of, it’s time to give back.
Other women would share their stories with me,
there was something about me that made them feel
comfortable. I realized that I had something to offer.”
Vessel of Life focuses on healing, education
and empowerment for victims. This includes free
counseling via phone or face-to-face meetings and
virtual peer networks of survivors at various stages
of their “healing journey,” according to Ramirez.
Women survivors can learn about methods of
self-care through counseling and the psychology
of trauma so they can understand the science of
what they are experiencing.
“We do believe that every woman, despite their
circumstances or trauma, has purpose in their life,”
she said. “And God wants every woman to live an
abundant life. That all changes and becomes a
struggle because of trauma. The more I speak to
other women, different survivors, I realize that there’s
such a need for ways to heal.”
Vessel of Life is not religious, Ramirez said,
although she does discuss having a personal relationship
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with Jesus with survivors if that’s something
they are interested in. If not, she meets them and
tailors the counseling to fit their needs.
“The title Vessel of Life means that we, women,
are a vessel,” Ramirez said. “And that vessel needs
to be whole to be able to impart that life into other
people and into your own life. We are constantly
growing and evolving as women and can find a
place of wholeness.”
The organization has a strong virtual presence and
is working to partner with national organizations to
provide further support and services for survivors. It
already works with shelters in New York and New
Jersey and is looking to reach out to high schools
and colleges.
“We’re just hoping to be a catalyst to facilitate
that healing journey,” said Ramirez. “We call it a
journey. We meet each person where they’re at in
a way where we’re not re-traumatizing, but we’re
helping them to overcome, to heal, and even thrive
in the life that they’re living.”
Ramirez said Vessel of Life is looking for volunteers
to help with the dinner.
Those interested in attending or volunteering
can register on the Eventbrite page found at bit.
ly/2AyMugk or email Ramirez at vesseloflife.ministry@
gmail.com.
Photos courtesy of Festival Media
Thanksgiving
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