Tagged with: Adult Survivors

This one’s for the real-life guardian angels

Photo of Susan and Max, hugging.

Every child deserves the chance to live out their full potential, and yet many are robbed of their childhood. The feeling of being alone and helpless is something no child… Continue Reading

What About Post-Traumatic Growth?

My story didn’t begin with me having a voice. It began in the silence and secrets and shame that so many victims struggle to break free from. And for a… Continue Reading

Stopping Child Abuse in Real Time

A man in my home state of Illinois will spend the next 40 years behind bars as the consequence of sexually abusing his girlfriend’s daughter. The abuse started when she… Continue Reading

Extending Jenna’s Law to Trafficking Victims

The first time I walked into a Children’s Advocacy Center, I was a teenager dealing with the aftermath of years of sexual abuse. The CAC helped my family and I… Continue Reading

The Lifelong Sting of Abuse

NOTE: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence against children. I was 23 years old, in my first job as an assistant social worker in the Atlanta schools, when I… Continue Reading

When Does Abuse End and Assault Begin?

While child sexual abuse can take many forms, it is typical for the child (and family) to know the offender. The offender uses this relationship to “groom” the child so… Continue Reading

An Open Letter to Warriors

At 10 a.m., on July 12, 2016, I was given the chance to use my voice against something that has kept me silent for years. I testified against my grandfather, who… Continue Reading

The Coda of Abuse

As a concert pianist, I have the opportunity to perform music I love for people all over the world. It is a dream. It is a joy beyond words. But… Continue Reading

A Child’s Best Defense Is Her Voice. Here’s How We Amplify It

“A guy called Officer Friendly comes to school and teaches us not to answer the door when your parents are not home and don’t talk to strangers. They don’t teach… Continue Reading