I've been looking for others who understand the gut-wrenching pain you feel as a parent of a sexually abused child. No one understands how helpless and alone you feel at times when there's no one to give you answers or help.

I’m the mother of a beautiful, courageous 17 y/o daughter who was sexually abused by her biological father which started around the age of 10. On May 19, 2008 she told a teacher shortly after she got to school. My life changed forever that day. I had been divorced from the monster since my daughter was 6 y/o. He had made our lives a living hell dragging us to court with any given opportunity. Fortunately, I have a wonderful husband who has supported us emotionally through the turmoil. I met him shortly before I divorced and he has been the only father figure my daughter has known. I feel the need to get our whole story out to you, but there’s so much it will take a while and is very involved. I feel a little rushed and anxious due to the fact that we’re going to trial on October 23 & 24. After considering starting EMDR in therapy my daughter’s counselor asked if she thought there was a chance she would consider pressing charges we needed to contact the prosecuting attorney before proceeding. EMDR can be considered like hypnotherapy in some courts because it can cause desensitization to memories or something like that. Anyway, to make a long story short we contacted the prosecuting attorney’s office in April of 2011 and a warrant was issued for his arrest in July of 2011 for rape. We had to hire a private detective in October to locate him October 2011) - he was then arrested. After two continuances we are now down to the wire. I need to mention my daughter has been in and out of a behavioral hospital for anxiety and depression over the last four years. She ran away once. Attempted to run away again, but was unsuccessful. We finally had to get motion sensor cameras to alert us of any movement in her hallway our outside her window. She turned to drugs and alcohol early on and since her discharge last December has turned her life around. She has been home schooled and is getting ready to leave for college in a few months. She’s finally found her path and we’re able to communicate. I realize this is a daily journey for her. It’s nice that we can now walk together. Please understand I’m skimming the surface of our struggle together and my understanding of her issues. I in no way want to sound like I think her life is now wrapped in a bow, tied off nice, neat, and pretty. If only it were that easy. We’ve endured so much as a family, praying I wouldn’t find my child hanging in her closet, kidnapping, a judge that never intervened, a judicial complaint, I was found in contempt of court (kept my daughter due to the monster drinking and driving with her in car) – judge never addressed issue, Oh! Let me mention we just found out he has two felony convictions for terroristic threatening – NEVER knew. He was on probation for that when he was threatening me and my husband that he was going to get custody of my daughter. He was behind in child support –ALWAYS. I’ll stop there for now. I’ll have to continue with how his family was involved in everything as I continue with my posts.