A Home Grown Victim
She was in tenth grade. I had just finished an assembly in her high school on Sexual Abuse & Prevention. She had heard me teach, "You cannot grow your own victims, parents cannot do anything they want to their children." Now she stood before me with tears streaming down her checks, and a tortured pain in her voice.

Her father had first forced sexual intercourse on her when she was in seventh grade; it had continued several times a week for three long years. "Please help me," the plea came from the depths of her tormented soul.

After encouraging and comforting her, I explained how the report that I would file would set the wheels in motion to get her the help she so desperately needed. Knowing that victims sometimes fall through the cracks of the "system," I touched base with Children and Youth Services several weeks later. Because of confidentiality laws, they could not give me specific details, but I was assured that she was safe, was receiving the help that she so desperately needed, and that her case was progressing nicely. Having done all that I could do, I prayed and entrusted her into God's hands.