Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1830

Tonight's special guest is Carol Damron from Toledo, Ohio, a survivor of severe childhood sexual abuse by multiple predators and in many situations. The abuse started as early as Carol's first childhood memories of being abused at 3 years old by two of her uncles and then at 4 years old by another family member while she lived with her Aunt. It's important to Carol that people understand how being abused, “changes you as a person. Especially when victims are so young.” She next lived with her father only to suffer more sexual abuse by the son of her father's friend and neighbors. When her mother remarried it only brought more sexual predators into her life and she was suffered abuse by her step-brothers, a step-Uncle, and a step-nephew. Carol went to her mother for help several times about the abuse, but her mother only accused her of lying. At 15 she was also the victim of a date rape and later was raped by a boyfriend's friend. After being victimized so many times, Carol states, “It's like once you've been hurt that way, there is a sign for all the world's predators to see, like a lighthouse.” Being unprotected from her abusers and having her trust violated so many times left Carol feeling abandoned, fear, small and unloved, and broken. She developed a stutter that children bullied her about in school, and in her adult life has dealt with PTSD, mood disorders, depression, and suicidal thoughts. But Carol's doing better now and bravely sharing her story to advocate for other victims. My friends ask me, "Carol, how can you be so kind to people after all you've been through?" I tell them, "Because I know how sad feels. And it sucks." We're glad to have Carol as a new member of the NAASCA family.