Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2651

Tonight's special guest is Kathleen Niestadt from Louisville, Kentucky. "My paternal grandfather was my abuser," she reveals. "The abuse started right before my 5th birthday. The feelings I had growing up was mostly numbness, depression, anxiety, and fear." Kathleen further explains, "My family was in the next room in my view when he told me he knew I liked what he was doing because I was not making him stop. He continued doing things to me and when I was 7, he first raped me." Healing hasn't been easy. "The current status of my recovery process is good and still difficult for me. I have been in therapy since the end of 2005. I feel hopeful, and happy to help others who have gone through what was done to them, and to educate those who have never experienced this."  Life was extremely hard, and she struggled in every aspect of life. "I developed unhealthy dissociation to help me endure the pain," she says. "I was in constant turmoil. The abuse lasted for about 6 1/2 years total before my grandfather died and then it stopped." Kathleen has been diagnosed with Severe Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Complex PTSD. "I am in therapy and have been in therapy since 2006," she explains. Kathleen has spoken about her abuse many times. "I have spoken at the University of Louisville's Human Trafficking Conference and the Southern Indiana Human Trafficking Conference. One insight I will share with other survivors' is 'Do not give up'. Work on your healing in your way, and try new things, journaling, drawing, poetry, movement, breathing, there are so many things you can put in your tool belt to help you move down the road of healing."