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Sexual Assault Survivors Speak Out In Response To Current Events

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Between the allegations against Kavanaugh, Bill Cosby's conviction and the Me Too movement in general, this is a very personal time for some Minnesotans.

Sexual abuse allegations have become a recurring headline in current events.

Dr. Kirsten Lind says she's seen a spike in anxiety in patients and has even had to temper her own with self-care.

"Therapists are a container for all this pain and suffering that's always in the world, but it seems to be spiking right now for all of us, nobody's happy," said Lind. "I would say it's really important to be compassionate both for ourselves and for others."

The news of the week has been especially troubling to Abby Honold, "I have plenty of days where I wake up and I see a headline and I'm like I am gonna try and stay out of this one today because I am not in a right space."

Abby was raped when she was a student at the U of M in 2014. She's since become a voice for abuse survivors.

"I think things are changing in that it's suddenly not as taboo to bring this up," said Honold.

Honold says reading the headlines causes survivors like herself to re-live the trauma. She hopes that amidst the pain is healing.

"I think that's the most important part that when people are speaking up people are listening, people are paying attention and that I think is what a lot of survivors have wanted for years and years and years," said Honold.

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