You Are Not Alone, Kerri's Story (Blog-a-thon Post 10)

Dear Survivor,

Kerri wants you to know you are not alone. Here's what she has to say:

When I was two or three, my grandma and granddaddy used to babysit me while my mom went to school or work. My uncle and his best friend would take me into my uncle’s room and [abuse me]. They both had to be about 15... At one point, I remember fighting and clenching my teeth together. I fell through the springs on the bed and cut my ankle-pretty badly... I remember completely wrapping myself up in a blanket. My uncle and his best friend were laughing and one of them picked me up in the blanket and tossed me in his closet and shut the door. I don’t know how long I stayed... When I got out of the blanket and the closet, I got a spanking. My uncle had told my grandma that I cut my ankle jumping on the bed and hid in the closet. She also spanked me for getting blood on her blanket. I am sure there is more. But, I don’t remember it. I also had an uncle who I am 100% positive touched me inappropriately. I think I was maybe two. From the time I can remember until I was about six, I witnessed my biological father repeatedly rape my sister. We shared a room and a bed.

Kerri is also a member of our support group, the group that flourishes partly because of information our members and leaders receive from the Angela Shelton Foundation. Kerri says:

This group has helped me tremendously. First, I do not worry about anyone around me feeling guilty for anything that did or didn’t happen to me when I was a child. My sister takes a lot of blame and holds a lot of guilt so I don’t tell her a lot of things. Secondly, I get to feel like I help people. I also get to talk to people who don’t judge me and basically just let me be me. A bonus, I don't get those looks. Everyone that has ever disclosed knows those looks. The, "you poor thing" or "you are f***ing crazy" looks. I don’t feel pushed to disclose or pushed to help. It is just a nice, warm, safe place.

Stay tuned for more stories of survival and hope...

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