A child is forever changed the day they take the risk to defy their abuser and walk in the door to tell their truth. The day they become a third child. The question is which third child will walk away? That will depend on what happens and what they are told when they walk in to report. Will the child be told as Lucilia was that “Defense attorneys and abusers are really good at what they do”. She was told this to explain why her case would not be prosecuted. If the child is told that, will that child walk away with their head hung down on their new teddy bear wondering what they did wrong, wondering what “evidence” means, and wondering if they will see their abuser’s car on the way home or in their driveway. OR will the prosecutor have had extensive training on child sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and trauma. Will they have complete confidence in the resources they have and their abilities to prosecute these unique cases and say to the child – “Abusers are good at what they do, but we are better. We know the abuser’s tricks and manipulations, and because you’ve been so brave today to tell the truth, their time’s up. You can go play now, because we’ve got this.” While all the adults go to work to do their jobs, this third child can walk away hugging their new teddy bear with their head held high with pride at their awesome bravery. They can come back to the advocacy center for counseling so eventually they can swing from their beautiful healing heart and THRIVE. Maybe one day they will be a part of the Army of Survivors that makes prevention 100% effective.
