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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, so today we have Nicole Bromley, author and advocate of sexual abuse prevention, here to talk about her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Africa to speak out on this crucial issue…
I have spent the past nine years traveling coast to coast, speaking to universities, schools, churches, conferences and prisons, but last spring’s tour took on a whole new meaning. Taking my message to the other side of the world to begin a campaign to “Stamp Out Child Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking” was the most incredible, intense, exhausting, exciting & certainly revolutionizing two weeks I’ve yet to encounter.
Myself (and the baby in my womb), my husband, and WordAlive Publishers of East Africa acted as a team, with an itinerary of non-stop speaking out, signing books, mingling with government officials and loving on the people and children of Kenya and Uganda. We held huge book launches and media interviews, advocating for a society that safeguards the rights of vulnerable children by breaking the conspiracy of silence that only protects the perpetrators.
Basically, we took over two major East African cities (Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda) to the point where no East African could turn on the TV or glance at the newspaper without seeing my face, the Hush book cover image, or being confronted with the truth about sexual abuse and trafficking. I was stunned at the amount of publicity our campaign received–especially in an area of the world that previously wouldn’t dare to speak of such issues!
Just hours after arriving we were taken into a room full of microphones and cameras, all preparing for a major press conference to announce my arrival and our campaign. You can watch a video news clip of the Nairobi Press Conference at this link.
I spoke alongside Abidemi Sanusi, author of Eyo, a fiction book about a young illiterate girl who is trafficked and sold as a child sex slave and her story of tragedy and rescue. I also spoke out with the Honorable Millie Odhiambo at a variety of events and TV interviews. She is an amazing woman and a new friend; she is a lawyer, nominated member of Parliament, and a major voice and activist for the rights of children and women in East Africa–a very empowering example for African women!
I was interviewed by more than fifteen TV/radio shows, covering all major stations in East Africa. One of my favorites was a morning news show for Citizen TV (which is basically like the East African version of our Good Morning America or Today Show); we also made front page of their largest newspaper (similar to our New York Times).
My husband, Matt, and I spent a great deal of time with the Honorable Justice James Ogoola, the highest Chief Justice in Uganda. He is an absolutely amazing man with a heart for Jesus and for social justice; he became a very dear friend to Matt and me. Here I am with Justice and the host of a television show we were on together.
The Honorable Njoki Ndung’u was chosen to officially launch Hush to the people of Kenya. The Hon. Njoki is a real mover and shaker in Kenyan politics; a former member of Parliament, she spearheaded a recent bill that was made into The Sexual Offenses Act (2006). She is also the UN expert on sexual violence. I felt so overwhelmed on this night, constantly thinking to myself, “How is it that a girl like me gets to stand among these incredible people?!” I give all praise and thanks to the Lord for granting me such a special honor I certainly do not deserve.
The next day I visited Nairobi Womens Hospital. Most of my time was spent with those at the Gender Based Violence Recovery Center. I was deeply touched by a fragile, 27-year-old, Swahili-speaking woman who willingly and courageously shared her story through a translator.
Just hours earlier, she was brutally beaten, chopped with a machete, losing half of her hand and was then gang raped. This poor precious one will be in my heart and in my prayers for a very long time. It had been quite awhile since I’d seen the rawness of such a brutal attack. Tears were streaming down my face as I penned a note to her in a copy of Hush. As I handed it to her, I prayed. She was soon to go into surgery; it was so hard to leave her. I will never forget that day or how deeply I was broken over this young girl and her situation. I was most grateful to God for causing our paths to cross that day. I will never forget her last words to me: “You have given me hope.” Through all of the incredible experiences and all of the celebrity status it seemed I was receiving prior to this encounter, none of it compared to my experience with her. God used Gloria to reach me in a unique way. I continue to pray for her.
Matt & his friend Neal visited Feed The Children’s Abandoned Baby Center and loved on kids while I was busy in the city, with interviews and spending time at the hospital’s rape victim unit.
I later spoke at the SOS Children’s Village in Nairobi. It was such an honor to get to speak to these amazing resilient young leaders–all abandoned orphans who are on their way to incredible futures.
We then rushed to the airport to catch a flight to Uganda. Upon our arrival, we took a late-night van ride to our hotel; the scene that played outside our van windows pierced my heart unlike anything I could have expected. Swarms of tiny street kids, none older than ten, running up to car windows with open hands, begging for money, chocolate etc. It was 11:00pm! I wondered how many of them would be trafficked. I didn’t sleep at all that night.
The next day was the ”Open Minds Forum” and the official launch of my book, Hush, and Abidemi’s book, Eyo, in Kampala, Uganda. Most importantly, this was the first event to ever address human trafficking within their nation! Amazing. It was at this public forum that I experienced one of the biggest surprises of my life: a replica of Hush, nearly as tall as me, was unveiled. Who unveiled it, then grabbed my hand and raised it in the air, presenting my message to her very own country? Janet Musevini, THE FIRST LADY OF UGANDA! I am still incredibly honored, shocked & humbled…still processing it all, really.
Lastly, I had the chance to share my story in three Sunday morning services at All Saints Cathedral (Kampala) and signed books in a tent outside after each service. A “hush” truly came over the congregation like no place I’d ever spoken. “Breaking the silence” took on a new meaning for that day.
Months have now passed, the baby I carried in my belly all over east Africa is now a six-month-old boy named Isaac Justus, and I continue to break the silence in venues around America; however, the U.S. of A. will never be the same for me. I “heart” Africa in ways I had never imagined. I brought a piece of Africa home with me and that piece longs to go back and continue our campaign until we truly do “Stamp Out Sexual Abuse and Trafficking.”
I am grateful to God, to Moody Publishers and to WordAlive Publishers for making this all possible. A seed has been planted in East Africa and is growing rapidly. We are hoping to continue this campaign, breaking into Rwanda and Tanzania later this year.
Until then, I treasure the African name that was appointed to me: “Ssubi” which means “hope.”
Nicole “Ssubi” Bromley is the Founder and Director of OneVOICE enterprises and an International Spokesperson on sexual abuse, rape & human trafficking. She is the author of Hush: Moving from Silence to Healing After Childhood Sexual Abuse (Moody Publishers, 2007) and Breathe: Finding Freedom to Thrive in Relationships After Childhood Sexual Abuse (Moody Publishers, 2009). She is a frequently featured guest on television and radio broadcasts around the world. Nicole and her husband Matthew have two sons. For more info, visit Nicole’s website at www.onevoiceenterprises.com