‘What’s a beautiful memory for you was a nightmare for me’
“When I was a little kid, my father took me to see an uncle in the hospital in Mexico. My uncle had gotten into an argument with his dad, my grandfather. It was over money he...
Tagged: abuse
‘I had a lot of confusion about how a man should treat a woman’
“I grew up in a household where I never saw affection. Well, I saw it from one individual, the female, but not from the male. He was always too macho. “It was a physically abusive environment....
Caregiver redirects efforts to help elderly
“I got my CNA [certified nursing assistant] license and started working at an all-boys CPS [Child Protective Services] facility. I went in there with a good mental state a year ago. I thought I could handle...
Talking about sexual abuse a step in right direction
“It’s kind of hard to say. What happened to me when I was a little kid, when I was 7 … I got molested by my neighbors. Ever since, it sparked a fear of men. “Growing...
She supports others going through tough times
“I’ve gone through some stuff people shouldn’t have to go through. I was abused for six years by my uncle and my cousins. The hardest thing about it was that I didn’t understand why I was...
From sexual abuse in childhood to helping others
“I’ve done a lot of volunteer work: homeless shelters, soup kitchens, all sorts of stuff. I worked with elderly people for a couple years. I’ve been involved with activities to assist kids. Just anything where I...
Kids on her school bus get benefit of the doubt
“When I was in sixth grade, I helped a kid run away. He came to school, and you could see he was beaten from his hairline down to the top of his calves. It was horrible....
Following abusive start, her life begins anew
“I grew up in a very dysfunctional family and experienced many different types of abuse through my childhood. I became a teenage bride and mom, only to have the abuse continue. “After a particularly bad incident...
Social worker provides ‘safe space’ for teen girls
“Something that we’re facing a lot is dating violence or unhealthy relationships. Some of the girls aren’t necessarily being physically abused, but there’s a lot of emotional abuse. Their boyfriends are talking ugly to them or...
