The intent of sharing these stories is to show the devastation of child sexual abuse, but to also show the hope and strength that sustains survivors. Please note that all posts are reviewed prior to posting, must adhere to Darkness to Light’s guidelines, and may have been edited for length.
There is so much shame, doubt, and confusion attached to being a survivor. When I was a kid, I never told anyone what happened to me because I was afraid. Would my friends shun me? Would the police believe me? (My abuser said they wouldn’t.) Would my family help me? So, I stayed silent and …
Before my personal experience with abuse, I lived in a household in which my father abused my mother. I do not recall times when I witnessed him hitting her, but our home was filled with fear, anger and disappointment. When my parents finally separated, my mother took my siblings and I to live with my grandmother. …
I first participated in Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children® 5 or 6 years ago. Since then, I became an Authorized Facilitator of the training and I have facilitated this program too many times to recall. Each time, something would spark a light in my mind that something was just not right with my history. Each time I watched the training, I picked up something different from each brave …
As the Prevention Director at the Memphis CAC, I see the devastation of abuse on children and their families firsthand. But I also get to see the hope and resilience of the children that come through the CAC. And even better, I get to be a part of the solution – by working to educate …
I’ve been a competitive gymnast for 13 years (since I was just 5 years old!), and my teammates are like my family. Not just the teammates in my age group, either– competitors down to the youngest tumblers make up my tight knit community. That’s why I decided to become an advocate. Gymnastics has been a large …
I’ve been a Darkness to Light Authorized Facilitator for a number of years, and one thing I’ve learned is that when it comes to preventing child sexual abuse, collaboration is key. Last year this lesson was illustrated in a powerful way. Like many others, this story begins because of a situation of child sexual abuse. …
The work we do as Darkness to Light Facilitators is important for those in our communities – there is no doubt. We learn in our facilitator training that we will become someone our community will seek out when they need for child sexual abuse prevention arises. However minimal the costs are to deliver a Stewards …
A few years ago one of our Certified Instructors trained the staff of her local afterschool program in Stewards of Children®. Her trainees were mostly college students, and she found that one trainee, in particular, was heavily invested in the discussions. A few weeks later, that trainee went to a family reunion. Over the course of …
Recently, a kindergarten teacher named Sarah took Stewards of Children® and learned about the signs of child sexual abuse for the first time. She left the training reassessing her interactions with her students. One particular student came to mind – the child had difficulty regulating their emotions and frequently lashed out in anger at others. The …
2019 was a year of positive change and growth. Individuals, organizations, and entire communities have embraced the challenge of ending child sexual abuse before it can even begin. We love Katie’s story of prevention: “I took the Stewards of Children® training after reading about it in Sports Illustrated. I learned a lot about how to …
Today, I’m living a robust life pursuing my passion. When I was a child, it was a different story. When I was a little girl my family moved to our dream home. My father always worked hard and when I was six years old, he was promoted to manager. My dad strived all his life to provide incredible opportunities …
Four years ago, I revealed that I was molested for over seven years by my father who was a pastor. He was found dead, in his home, a few days after I disclosed. Due to the mental anguish and distress of losing him, being blamed for it, and still working through the abuse, I took …
From the ages of 12-16, I was sexually abused by my stepfather. Recently, I was the Hero for Kids Honoree and Keynote Speaker for my local Child Abuse Prevention Center Luncheon in Poughkeepsie, New York. This was the first time I publicly shared my story. I shared my story because there is pain in secrecy. …
“We, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force, and you are nothing.” – Aly Raisman This unwavering stance against abuse, abusers, and enablers has been the overarching theme on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus since Larry Nassar was convicted. Hundreds of survivors and allies, …
I was always afraid that if anyone found out, my family wouldn’t believe me. I was so scared to say anything because unfortunately, with a heavy crime like sexual abuse, not everyone is quiet about their opinion—especially when they think you are lying. That alone was scary enough for a child like me to keep …
“Why me?” was the ongoing question I found myself asking. Growing up in my family was tough. My dad preferred his booze over marriage, so truthfully, I think my parent’s divorce was the best thing for my mom. My older brother Taylor, my younger sister Al and I grew up travelling back and forth; every …
I was born in 1960. Between the ages of 4 and 7, my father’s best friend repeatedly sexually abused me. Several years later he killed himself. Shortly after his death, I received a call from his wife. He’s dead, she said, and it’s all your fault. Childhood sexual abuse is a prison without bars. It …
Darkness, fear and shame are what I felt when I told my mom on my thirteenth birthday, that “He did it to me, too.” Those six words and the actions of a forty-two year old former family friend, firefighter, and policeman changed my life forever. I, like one in ten children in the United States, …
I was molested by my father from as early as I can remember, until the age of eight. I was not sure what was going on. I thought that it was normal, even though my father told me not to tell my mother. I was always a well behaved child, however my father would tell …
The following is an excerpt from the new book, Pure In Heart: A Memoir of Overcoming Abuse and Passing Jenna’s Law, by Jenna Quinn. In the passage, Jenna talks about the painful realization of when she and her mother first learned about the warning signs of child sexual abuse at the hospital where Jenna received …
Derek Hopkins and Allen Vandever are both Chicago area artists who interpret their worlds through their work. In the case of these friends and collaborators, that includes a shared history of child sexual abuse. The two have undertaken their project, “A Childhood Fractured,” with the hope of bringing attention to child sexual abuse. The project …