Deborah King - incest survivors need to speak up to begin healing

The recent revelation by Mackenzie King of incest by her father on the Oprah show led to a second Oprah show about incest. Deborah King, a Huffington Post columnist, shares her story of sexual abuse by her father between 2 and 13 and states that healing is possible when survivors tell their stories. An excerpt is below.

When a victim refuses to be silenced, speaking up can heal much of the damage from the abuse. Until then, they often continue to deal with substance abuse, ill-health, promiscuity, depression, anxiety, and a host of other emotional and physical problems. Being able to speak your truth is an important part of the healing process from any trauma--and incest is a traumatic event, whether it's a one-time rape or an ongoing 30-year "relationship."

Deborah King is the Huffington Post's health and wellness columnist.