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<center>[Image source](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ea/21/c7/ea21c7fbb327a6622f5722ba6038fbff--baby-hand-prints-child-hand.jpg)</center>
Annie and her brother Josh stayed on a farm with their parents Bill and Sue. They are an ordinary family with Bill farming to provide for his family and Sue at home, helping Bill and raising their kids.
For Sue, apart from being Bill’s wife, there was nothing more fulfilling than looking after and taking care of her family; helping the kids with chores and homework, building their own little personalities and character and seeing them growing into beautiful young people. It was more than she could ever ask for. Or so she thought!
Josh, the firstborn, is the extrovert - very talkative, sociable, and energized by being around other people. He loves sport, outdoor activities and being with his friends. Yes he enjoys school but homework and studying not so much. Annie on the other hand is the exact opposite of Josh. She is the last born introvert who avoids large groups of people, feeling more energized by time alone. She enjoys studying and planning for her future and can’t wait to finish school. Reading books and watching documentaries are activities she enjoys. But she also had her carefully selected, hand-picked friends which she enjoyed hanging out and spending time with. Although Annie and Josh were so different in various ways, they shared a very special closeness which they valued and cherished. Each night they would check in with each other, share thoughts, dreams, fears and analyse every detail of the day before going to bed.
<center>http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-little-girl-blonde.jpg</center>
<center>[Source](http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-little-girl-blonde.jpg)</center>
It happened one afternoon when Annie and her friend Sarah was playing hide & seek. She was 10 years old. They were laughing, enjoying summer and the thrill of finding each other. It was Annie’s turn to find Sarah. They were playing at Sarah’s house. “One….two….three….” Annie was counting until she got to one hundred.
Running around in the yard trying to find Sarah, Annie couldn’t wait to catch her out with as little time as possible! Suddenly Sarah’s dad called Annie. *“I know where she is, come with me”*, he said. She followed him inside the house and when she returned half an hour later, her eyes were filled with tears and she no longer wanted to play. Sarah, who eventually came out from her hiding place to see what took Annie so long, couldn’t understand what was wrong. *“Why are you crying Annie?”*, she asked but Annie kept to herself, not willing to join into the conversation. *“I have to go, it’s late”*, Annie said and left.
All the way home Annie was crying and trying to make sense of it all – over and over in her mind was the unanswered question *“what did I do to deserve this??”*
That evening when Josh was sharing his day and thoughts, she felt this urge to tell him what happened but she couldn’t – there was something on the inside of her that was resisting, scared… that he won’t believe her, ashamed…confused. She didn’t know much anymore but all she knew without a doubt, was that she can never tell her parents, she was too ashamed.
<center>http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-crying-little-girl-i-cant-you-can-246x300.jpg</center>
<center>[Source](http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-crying-little-girl-i-cant-you-can-246x300.jpg)</center>
Josh noticed the change in Annie but didn’t think too much of it at first. Annie was keeping to herself more than usual. She struggled to sleep, she became secretive, moody and acting out. But then Annie’s random nightmares become more frequent, with her running to his room, frantic with fear and emotion, not wanting to be alone. It was in one of these moments one night when it all became too much for Annie to carry, and she told her brother what happened. Annie was exposed to sexual abuse. Sarah’s dad molested her.
<center>https://imgoat.com/uploads/8dd2c7955c/76349.PNG</center>
<center>[Source](http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/sites/default/files/images/6544/the-word-no.jpg)</center>
Josh did the right thing and told his parents what happened to Annie so that Annie can get the help she so desperately needs. Not only to find healing as a victim of child sexual abuse but also to prevent this from permanently scarring her. Fortunately they had parents who supported and believed them. The idea of someone molesting your child was is terrifying for any parent as well as the trauma experienced at such an age, and it was frightening for them to say the least!
They ensured her that they love her, that what happened to her was not her fault and that they will do everything they could to keep her safe.
Sue and Bill had their own little war to deal with. They have struggled through anger at the abuser, anxiety about responding in the ‘right’ way, fear that the abuser will find a way to harm their child again, sadness they felt for Annie and shock to have heard what happened.
But in the end the battle is won and the family are stronger than ever!
They have created a safe environment for Annie that is free from harm, judgement and blame!
# POINTS TO PONDER :
* The good news is, wounds heal even though the scars remain
* The majority of children never report sexual abuse when it has happened. Why not? They are often afraid of the reaction of their parents or the fear of getting into trouble or they simply don’t know how to explain what happened.
Studies by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, show that:
> * 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse;
> * Self-report studies show that 20% of adult females and 5-10% of adult males recall a childhood sexual assault or sexual abuse incident;
> * During a one-year period in the U.S., 16% of youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
> * Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
> * Children are most vulnerable to CSA between the ages of 7 and 13.
[Source](http://victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child-sexual-abuse/child-sexual-abuse-statistics)
<center>http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-child-sex-abuse-stats.jpg</center>
<center>[Source](http://carolynhennecy.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-child-sex-abuse-stats.jpg)</center>
# 11 signs that your child is being molested:
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https://imgoat.com/uploads/8dd2c7955c/76368.PNG
[Source](http://www.kidslivesafe.com/child-safety/molestation)
# What Should I Do After A Child Tells?
http://www.stopitnow.org gives the best advice which I've copied here for easy reading: (*Source below*)
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[Source](http://www.stopitnow.org/ohc-content/what-should-i-do-after-a-child-tells)
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##### Resources:
*As provided above*
* http://victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child-sexual-abuse/child-sexual-abuse-statistics
* http://www.kidslivesafe.com/child-safety/molestation
* http://www.stopitnow.org/ohc-content/what-should-i-do-after-a-child-tells
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