Medium
Narrative
Artwork
I was...
Home
Other
The person who harmed me was a...
Stranger
Acquaintance
Parent / caregiver
Sibling
Family Member
I identify as...
Alaska Native
American Indian
Black / African / Caribbean
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
White
My sexual orientation is...
Bisexual
I identify as...
a Man
a Woman
I was...
a Child
When this occurred I also experienced...
Physical harm
Emotional abuse
Human trafficking
Physical neglect
Emotional neglect
Sexual abuse
I am in...
Southcentral Alaska
Interior Alaska
The Alaska Children’s Trust’s lived experience storytelling project sheds light on the issue of child abuse and neglect by providing a platform for Alaskans to share their personal stories and learn from the experiences of others.
On this page are stories shared by survivors of child abuse and neglect that highlight hope but can be difficult to read. A grounding activity can help you to feel calm and make it easier to read these stories. Do you want to try one of our grounding activities?
Most of the abuse and neglect I grew up with was verbal abuse and emotional neglect. It was a lot of being yelled at by a parent. A lot of violence on objects in our presence - fists pounding on the dinner table, milk pitchers getting thrown off the table while we were all seated, banished to my room when I was angry and upset, a telephone getting violently torn from the wall while a sister and I stood inches away.
If you are a Survivor, I want you to know that the very action of waking up every morning and trying your best to learn, heal, grow, and recover; in and of itself provides hope for others just like you.
I grew up around very, very strong women. Granny - "big momma" - and my mom. They just really instilled into me to the gospel, Jesus. That was the focal point of my spiritual development as a kid. But on the flip note, my father was the complete opposite. He was an alcoholic. We tended to stay out of his way when he came home.
Dear reader, the following story contains language of self-harm that some may find triggering or discomforting.
I want to give hope to those who have or are still walking in a place of hopelessness or feel like they can't heal. My message is and always has been that there is a better life, you can heal, you can recover and your identity does not have to be planted in the trauma but that it can be used to help others overcome.
Healing for me means talking openly about child sexual abuse and finding ways to help not just the survivor and perpetrator, but also the whole family. When something like this happens there are ripples of impact and everyone needs the opportunity to heal from it.
Your message helps survivors to feel heard, believed, and supported. You can send as many messages as you would like, and you can always view the impact you have helped make on the community page.