GROW IN CONFIDENCE. KNOW YOUR IDENTITY. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM VICTIMIZATION.
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urney
FOR GIRLS
BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL (CLASSIC) Copyright © 2023 Releasing Generations Published by Releasing Generations Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. All articles, art, and photographs have been published and printed with the permission of their creators.
ISBN: 979-8-9862965-2-4 Art Direction and Graphic Design: Ahava Design, LLC. Photos by Unsplash and Pixabay.
BRAVEANDBEAUTIFUL.WORLD Brave & Beautiful is a publication created by Explicit Movement, a Christian faith-based movement that heals and empowers youth and young adults to walk in sexual integrity and healthy relationships. We provide faith-based resources that equip youth, young adults, parents, and church leaders to have conversations concerning healthy dating and navigating sexuality issues with confidence, leading the way for young people to thrive in relationships. CREDITS COVER Floral pattern: Maria Galybina. Other Photography Dreamstime and Unsplash.
Welcome to Journey 4!
Dear Reader, You are called to be a Brave Heart. She listens. In this next section, you are called to listen to wisdom. We will give you tools to protect yourself from being coerced and victimized into sex trafficking by friends, schoolmates, online predators, or strangers—people you know or don’t know well— in person or online. Our heart is for you to not walk in fear, but instead walk in wisdom and confidence! May this publication empower you to protect yourself and others you care about. TWO MILLION WOMEN MISSING EACH YEAR: Susan Tiefenbrun, a professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California, discovered after extensive human trafficking research that more than two million women are missing each year due to being bought and sold for sexual exploitation.
• Take a moment to ponder this fact.
• Allow this crisis to touch your heart.
ANTI-SEX-TRAFFICKING is a justice issue and a cause we invite you to join. Have the courage to LISTEN and be moved in your heart.
Let us make a difference together!
Michele Okimura Executive Director, Explicit Movement
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BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL
PORNOGRAPHY
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SEXUAL ABUSE & TRAUMA
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SEX TRAFFICKING
30
VOICES OF FREEDOM
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HOPE RISING
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Imagine A Place… BY MICHELE OKIMURA
Imagine a place. A place where light exposes darkness So that nothing is hidden. A place where people are invited To dance and embrace what is good and true. Imagine a safe place. A place where vulnerability is welcomed, Safeguarded, and honored. Where voices are heard And genuine love transforms lives. Imagine a resting place. Homes. Where children and youth Freely entrust their hearts to their parents. A safe home, where answers to difficult issues Are discovered together…with no shame. Imagine an honoring place. Where integrity and dignity are embraced. Where hearts are protected and valued. A place where battles to protect relationships are won. Where lives are celebrated and differences are respected.
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Imagine a healing place. A place where no person feels alone, unwanted, unloved. A place where each understands their immense value. Where lives and broken relationships are restored. Where forgiveness, grace, compassion abound. Imagine a brilliant place. Where individuals, families, Cities and nations experience true transformation. Because of unity of heart and vision. Because of the commitment to honor Each person’s gifts, talents, and design. Imagine a place. Where no one hides in the darkness, Or in the loneliness of their personal closets. But is welcomed and beckoned forth To partner with others to help change the world.
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Nothing happens just because we are aware. But nothing will ever happen until we are
aware
GARY HAUGEN
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LISTEN
PART 1
+ Pornography + Sex Abuse + Sex trafficking
Connect the dots...
Welcome! You are closer to the finish line! This final stretch of your pathway brings you to an important destination. Previous chapters have prepared you to now LISTEN to the voices you will hear in this section. Lean in and keep your heart open as you: • Listen to truths and stories that will enlighten your mind and move your heart. • Listen to the voices of encouragement cheering you on to walk in your personal power as you make positive, healthy choices. • And listen even more to the voices of wisdom that can literally save your life and the life of your friends. BUT FIRST, THERE ARE SOME DOTS TO BE CONNECTED…
Ok, we get it! Talking about the following topics is not light and comfortable conversation! Yet these activities saturate our culture today and may sooner or later touch your life if they have not already: PORNOGRAPHY: The average age of first exposure to
pornography in America is 8-11 years old. We live in a culture where almost all, if not all teen boys have viewed or are addicted to pornography. Teen girls viewing pornography is on the rise and is often considered a normal pastime. Yet, viewing pornography damages relationships, fuels the demand for sex-trafficking, and promotes violence against females. We want to empower you to live healthy and victoriously. SEX ABUSE: There is a strong correlation between having
been sexually abused and being more vulnerable to being sex trafficked. Research has shown that 93% - 98% of sex trafficked victims were previous victims of sex abuse or molestation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention findings state that more than 1 in 3 women and nearly 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical
contact at some point in their lives. It is possible that, even though you have not been sexually abused yourself, you may know someone who has been mistreated in this way. You may have wondered how you can help them heal. We are here to empower you. SEX TRAFFICKING: What?! You may think that sex
trafficking is irrelevant to you, that it might happen to other people, but certainly not to you! Hopefully you are correct. But recruiters, who often pose as friends, seduce, trick, manipulate, and deceive teen girls into being trapped. It will benefit you greatly to know their tactics to better protect yourself and other teen girls you know. HEALING: We hope this section will not only encourage you
personally, but also support you as you grow in becoming a safe place for your friends and loved ones in need of help. Get ready to gather golden nuggets of insight, wisdom, and tools that will help you to shine successfully and brilliantly as brave and beautiful you!
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge.” CHARLES SPURGEON
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Pornography Sexual Abuse & Trauma Sex Trafficking
Connecting the Dots… 10
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Hey girl! What does PORN have to do with It?
“The most powerful sex organ is actually your brain. If you are regularly feeding your brain images that are designed to inspire lust, its gong to be difficult to rule your thoughts and keep you from violating your virtues.” -Kris Vallotton 11