Victoria’s Story

I was sexually abused the majority of my childhood. My abuse started from when I was just a little girl and ended the summer when I went into sixth grade. The summer of me going into sixth grade I had to take the stand in front of not only a group of jurors but also my abuser and his family. That was one of the hardest things I ever had to do because the person who abused me was friends with my family, and I was best friends with his son. For years I tried to not think about what happened and try to forget about what I went through. But when I went to the court both lawyers, mine who worked for the state and the abusers lawyer wanted to know every detail and kept asking me questions that I was not only afraid to answer but they were things that I didn’t want to remember. I told them everything that they wanted to know. I ended up winning the trial, however in return I ended up being diagnosed with PTSD, Anxiety disorder, and Depression.       

I would constantly have nightmares and night terrors. It became so bad that on several different occasions I thought about taking my life and even inflicted injuries on myself. If it wasn’t for my family and the strength they gave me I don’t know where I would be today or even if I would be alive. I went to therapy for many years and I have been put on so many different prescriptions. In the end for me it just took time. Time to not only accept what has happened to me but also time to forgive. Not just forgive the person who had done this to me but also time to forgive myself and come to the realization that I am a strong person. If there are other people out there that had the same thing happen to them that happened to me then I hope this helps you, so you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how hard it may be you just have to keep pushing because I can tell you from experience that every push you make is worth it in the end because you will be proud of the person you are at the end.