Child Abuse Story From
Kaela

This child abuse story from Kaela page was created December 19, 2006 and was originally posted on November 24, 2006 as story #49.

Kaela is from Kansas, USA

The following child abuse story from Kaela depicts physical abuse and emotional abuse

The child abuse effects on Kaela: self-harm in the form of cutting her arms and wrists, suicidal tendencies and feelings of despair

Child Abuse Story From Kaela:

I have always had a rough life, not as rough as some, but still bad enough to put me in therapy for five years.

When I was barely five months old, my mother put me in foster care because she wanted cocaine and weed more than she wanted me. I don't remember my foster parents, but I was told that I was in sixteen different families over a three-month span.

When I was about nine months old, I was taken in by my grandparents. My grandmother was the nicest woman you could ever imagine, but my grandfather was a different story. I lived in fear for years, too afraid to even walk past him for fear of being hit.

My father was put in prison when I was eight, and does not get out until a month after I turn eighteen.

I was molested by a classmate when I was only seven. I was also raped by one of my older sister's friends when I was eleven.

My grandmother died when I was thirteen, and I was alone with my older brother who is mentally handicapped and my grandfather. I was beaten daily for almost a year, and he used to scream at me . . . tell me I was worthless, and ugly, and a disappointment, stuff like that. I would take the blame for stuff my brother did just so that he might be spared from the pain I was forced to deal with.

One night, I was alone in my room, crying from the verbal abuse I'd just been subjected to. I picked up a razor blade and just started slicing my arms and wrists. For some reason, it made me feel better. I'd swallow enormous amounts of pain killers, sometimes 40 to 50 at a time, to try and kill myself. I was hospitalized on one occasion and a man from the local mental health center came to speak with me. I could not answer all his questions truthfully, for my grandfather stood right next to me.

This morning, before I went to school, I was screamed at, thrown against the wall, and hit. I am afraid to go home from school everyday and I refuse to tell anyone about my situation at home for fear of a beating from my grandfather. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, but I'm terrified. I am only fourteen and have already been through more than most adults have in their entire lives. I don't know how much longer I can deal with it all . . . .

I received the following e-mail from Kaela on January 6, 2007, posted with her permission.

Hey . . . this is Kaela . . . .

I don't know if you remember me, but . . . I posted my story on your site. I'm in a safe place. I thought I'd tell you . . . it took two broken arms, a broken nose, a black eye and a split lip to make me see it . . . but I saw that I need help and I got some. I thought you'd want to know.

I flinch every time someone moves anywhere near me and I scream when someone raises their hand . . . I feel so stupid for letting it go on for so long.

I still cut and have to hide my scars . . . my skin is dark so they show up a lot . . . I wear baggy, dark clothing because I have self-esteem issues from being called names.

I can't be anywhere near a male or I freak out . . . this could be either because I was raped or because I was always beat by men. I was in a foster home for a while, and was molested by the man that was my foster father. So, I was moved to a new home and put on medication . . . but . . . all in all . . . I'm happy . . . for the first time in my life, I am truly happy.

Except for the cutting, I am healing . . . it's a slow process . . . but . . . I'm healing.

Sincerely,

Kaela

Child Abuse Story From Kaela
Update March 20, 2007

Posted with Kaela's permission:

Hi. This is Kaela. It's been a while since I have written, but I figured that I'd at least write you every so often to let you know how things are going.

I'm finishing up my Freshman year with a 4.0 grade average, a boyfriend, and friends that I love more than anything and that I can trust. I finally feel as though I have escaped most of my past . . . I no longer cut, though I have a few friends that do, and am almost glad that I suffered through it because I know that I can help them through it as well.

I love where I'm living, and my high school. I'm finally home . . . and I'm so happy. I thank you almost every day of my life. You were the one that convinced me in the end to seek help, and I will be eternally grateful for that.

No one here really knows about my past, and for now, I think I'll keep it that way. It's almost like, if they knew, they'd feel sorry for me, and that isn't what I want.

I'm a headstrong girl, and I know now that I'm going to make it in life. I'm in FFA, FBLA, FCCLA, choir, and forensics. I play on the softball team and the track team.

I'll try to keep you more updated, write a little more . . . not so far apart like I've been doing. Anyways, I hope to hear back from you and hope that you have been doing as good as I have.

Sincerely,

Kaela

NOTE FROM DARLENE: Since the inception of this website and Stories pages, I have operated with a self-imposed rule that I will not post any stories from children or youth who are currently not in a safe place. The story I received from Kaela, and the subsequent communication I had with her, has made me reconsider my position on this issue.

Every day I receive letters from visitors asking for information about signs and effects of child abuse. Many are from people asking me to assess a personal situation for suspected child abuse. I wish I could answer all of these letters, but I cannot. Posting this child abuse story from Kaela is intended to help others understand what can happen to a teen who is being is abused, and what can happen when the teen is too afraid to report the abuse.

I replied back to Kaela, urging her to seek counseling from the people at Child Help USA. If you're a teen who is being abused, don't let another day go by without getting help for yourself. Please contact Child Help USA at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.

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References

NOTE: Information pages on this site were based on material from the
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Child abuse story from Kaela was re-formatted June 2, 2015