No one likes to talk about suicide.
Yet it happens every hour. Every day. In every country of the world.
No matter who it is or how well you know them, the loss hurts.
In the words of John Donne,
“any man’s death diminishes me because I am a part of mankind.”
Casa de Sueños has experienced the tragedy of suicide
Medellin, Colombia is a gorgeous city nestled in the Aburrá Valley of the Andes Mountain range. Known for its many flower farms and its temperate climate, Medellin is called “The City of Eternal Spring.”
But there’s another side to the city.
Medellin is also known for narco tourism, legal prostitution, and illegal sex trafficking.
Sadly, statistics gathered by Colombia Reports highlight the sad reality of many young Colombian women living in Medellin.
In 2021, forty young women and girls from Medellin were brutally murdered, fifteen of them in their own home. The violence didn’t end there; 1568 women endured abuse at the hands of their partners. One hundred and thirty-three cases of physical abuse of young girls were reported, and that is only the cases that were reported. Sadly, those 133 cases of violence were perpetrated by family members.
One 2008 study of rape kits indicated that a staggering 90% of the victims were underage girls. These statistics increase because prostitution and sexual violence are on the rise, fueled by an alarming 31.7% unemployment rate among women.
To compound the tragedy further, 36% of women in Medellin report grappling with mental health issues.
Medellin’s suicide rate soared to 2.7 per 100,000 in 2021, double that of Bogota, making it the highest among all of Colombia’s major cities.
The urgent plea for help in Medellin
Anyone who has suffered a trauma understands that it changes you forever.
The devastating impact of sexual violence on survivors’ mental health cannot be overstated.
Sex workers and victims of violence and sexual abuse suffer.
More than one-third of those who have endured the horror of rape find themselves contemplating the unthinkable – suicide.
A staggering 13% attempt it, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.
Sexual trauma is even more profound for survivors who endured assault before the age of 16. They face a 3-4 times greater risk of succumbing to the darkness of suicide.
Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder become unwelcome companions, often overshadowing the survivors’ lives.
The aftermath of sexual abuse and violence results in a cruel loss of self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and an overwhelming sense of worthlessness. The survivors are haunted by anger and anxiety, emotions that threaten to engulf them entirely.
Casa de Sueños has confronted these mental health issues first-hand
As the premier nonprofit in Medellin for poor children and abused young women, Casa de Sueños has developed special programs to answer the urgent plea for help in Medellin from mentally distressed, discouraged, and beaten down survivors of sexual trauma.
That’s why we pioneered the Helping Hand program to heal, educate, support, and nurture abused young women in Medellin who come to us for help in establishing a better life.
Our heart is broken
We hear the wails of pain. We see the scars. We watch the tears roll.
Our hearts break when we hear of a suicide. Sadly, despite our best efforts, in 2023, we mourned the loss of an abused young woman in our program who gave into despair and ended her own life.
We are determined to prevent the tragedy of suicide from happening. We know that suicide is much more likely to happen in girls and young women who have experienced sexual trauma. These are the very people who Casa de Sueños was founded to help.
Casa de Sueños answers the urgent plea for help, caring for abused young women, helping them heal, and giving them tools and training to move ahead into a brighter future. We offer daily counseling, along with education, faith-based teaching, job skills, and a safe place to tell their stories.
The mental health of survivors of sexual abuse and violence can be healed through our Helping Hand program.
The friendship, faith, love, and laughter at Casa de Sueños help, too!
How to heal broken spirits and decrease mental anguish
One of the most powerful tools in this journey towards healing is the act of telling their stories. In sharing their pain and suffering, survivors begin to release the heavy burden of silence that has weighed them down for far too long. The simple act of being heard, believed, and validated is a crucial step on the path to recovery.
Improving self-esteem is another vital aspect of therapy. Survivors must be guided towards rediscovering their self-worth, which has been mercilessly eroded by their traumatic experiences. They need to be reminded that they are not defined by the horrors they’ve endured, but by their resilience and strength.
Releasing guilt, shame, and any other emotions that have been festering within them is also an essential part of the healing process. Therapy at Casa de Sueños provides a safe space for survivors to confront and let go of these emotions, paving the way for a brighter future.
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” – 1 John 3:17
You, too, can help.
Stop suicide and start the healing process by donating to Casa de Sueños.
Answer the urgent plea for help.
Because anyone’s death diminishes us.
Donate here.