Sexual Assault Exemplifies Human Tragedy

For a few days I have been digesting the frightening reality of the brutal sexual assault on Lara Logan that took place in Egypt recently.

As I listened to a local news anchor reporting this story, my first gut reaction was tears.

I cried for this young woman's pain and her traumatic journey to recovery that she must now endure.

I cried for all women everywhere. I cried for men. I cried for the human race.

I have watched this reporter on '60 minutes'. Her beautiful spirit shone through her professionalism.

She, along with too many women to count, is now scarred for the rest of her life. The scars may not be visible, but rather hidden, influencing her behaviour in perhaps subtle ways.

She is now a survivor of 'war'. Just as veterans suffer with post traumatic stress, she will be changed forever. Hopefully, she will learn to overcome the most debilitating of these after-effects.

Far too long in this world, women have been viewed as expendable objects.

Our struggle as women to become 'human beings' in the eyes of men, so that we could vote and have legal rights as they do, rather than be seen as their 'property', is well documented throughout history.

We have come far, especially in North America, yet have so much further to go.

Sometimes I fear we are our own worst enemies. Our competitiveness with one another at times overshadows our common human goal.

There are countless ways women undermine themselves by 'selling' themselves sexually in the media and in society.

"The oldest 'profession' in the world" is how prostitution is portrayed to attempt to justify its existence.

Women who 'buy' into this myth are perpetuating the very idea that female bodies are objects to be bought and sold, rather than celebrated and honoured.

Men who value women as the 'closest to God they will get here on earth', must be crying as well.

These men do not use or abuse, but rather respect and at times revere women. They embody the spirit of love.

The plight of women is highlighted when a high profile person is victimized.

I pray that with God's help Lara Logan will heal, enabling her to be a 'strong' voice in the future to affect positive change for us all.

The world will then be a little better place after this tragedy than before it.