Survivor Stories – Brian Cardoza

You can contact Brian on his website Broken Knee Club

Why I am proud I am a survivor of sexual assault

Why is it weird to hear or read those words, is it the connection to such a personal attack that
makes you turn your head in shame of our discourse to hear.

Is it the fact that people wonder if they could handle such an event, I can tell you I never asked this because I never knew different.  

Let me tell you why people should not be afraid to discuss survival, without the deeds done to me I would not be who I am NOW and who I am is part of that.

Why am I proud of being a sexual, physical, and mental abuse survivor, suffering those deeds to me have made me stubborn

Being stubborn is truly one of the greatest feeling, knowing you cannot beat me, knowing you can do no more to me then what I have already endured.

Imagine living a life where you already know that nothing worse can be done to you, imagine the freedom of that thought.

Being stubborn has saved my life, on December 14. 1989 when I was sleeping in a car in Anchorage Alaska I knew if I could survive that night and not freeze then the worst was almost over.

The lesson I have learned from being a survivor, dedication I am more single minded on goals than most people why because I learned how to concentrate and focus.

I had to concentrate to forget what happened and I had to focus to know that I would only move forward if I forgave.

I have learned many thing in this life the value of a friend and how to trust a person not because you’re born of them but because you have chosen to trust in them.

All these lessons would never have existed to the level they do if I had not been assaulted. So ask me if I would change these deeds done to me and I will shout out to the world” NO and bring it.”

So when someone states they are a survivor don’t look on them with total pity, just know that one day they will discover the freedom of being stubborn, dedicated, and given trust.   

If you know people who need to see this please share and like but most importantly share someone somewhere is wondering if anything good can come from this.