196. Susan Bisaha: When Trust Hides Abuse

One of the most common misconceptions about child sexual abuse is the belief that children always know they're being abused. The reality is often far more complicated. In this episode, I sit down with Susan Bisaha, a licensed professional counselor, survivor of clergy sexual abuse, and author of And The Lotus Shall Rise: My Journey Through Clergy Sex Abuse. Susan shares the deeply personal story of being sexually abused by a trusted priest over the course of seven years while never fully understanding that what was happening to her was abuse. As a child, she simply didn't possess the life experience or developmental understanding to recognize that someone she trusted was manipulating and exploiting her. It wasn't until years later, while working with a therapist, that she finally came to understand the truth about what she had endured. Having investigated child sexual assault cases for many years, I've seen firsthand that Susan's experience is far from unique. Children often rely on trusted adults to define what is normal, appropriate, and safe. When that trust is intentionally violated by an offender, confusion can become one of the lasting consequences, delaying recognition and disclosure for years or even decades. Susan's story is both heartbreaking and hopeful. It reminds us that a child's inability to recognize abuse never changes the reality of what occurred, nor does it lessen the responsibility of the offender. Her journey from confusion to understanding, and ultimately to healing, offers hope to survivors who may still be trying to make sense of their own experiences. I believe this is a conversation every survivor, loved one, and professional working with victims should hear. An important side note: if you're finding value in this show and these amazing episodes, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating on your podcast platform. AND, follow SexualAssaultSurvivorStories on Instagram, then, please send me a note of support. I can't tell you how much your emails mean to me—they fuel my passion to keep this podcast going. And if you're a victim or survivor and are ready to tell your story in order to help yourself or someone else heal, let me know, and we can start a conversation about the possibility of you being on the show. Here's my email address: dave@sasstories.com Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me already. Just provide me with a phone number where I can reach back out to you…because I like to talk to people who are interested in guesting. And please keep those emails and texts coming…I truly look forward to hearing from you! Here are some critically important links that I hope you'll take the time to explore, and where a contribution is requested, please consider doing so! — Thank you!! https://www.threads.com/@susan669791 https://andthelotusshallrise.com/ https://1in6.org/ https://soulwisesolutions.com https://safeinharmsway.org https://sironahealing.com/ https://www.whattheydontsay.com www.arcigrey.com https://startbybelieving.org https://evawintl.org/ As mentioned, and emphasized, it's time to Normalize the Conversation.™ And please remember to Start by Believing…because we all know someone whose life has been impacted by rape or sexual assault. Thank you for tuning in. -Dave