Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 796

Tonight's special guest is Marian DeRossett from North Carolina, a survivor of abuse who now works as an advocate for missing children and adults with Porchlight for the Missing, the Maryland Task Force for the Missing and many others. She was first beaten with a belt at age 6 by her stepfather. The oldest of five children, she witnessed him come home drunk and beat her mother. Marian was repeatedly told of her worthlessness .. that she could do nothing right. When she was 13 her mother made her stepfather leave the house, but a lot of damage was done and Marian went through years of therapy. She was so terrified of her stepfather that she was in her late 20's before she was able to deal with what happened to her. "I am a survivor and have never had to deal with abuse again," she says, "and I am the person I am today because I understand what so many abused children go thru and can put myself into what they endure." She explains. "A lot of situations as to how they went missing I can relate to. This is my mission and to be an advocate for the families." Marian points out that many missing persons are victims of homicides. Many are listed as missing because the number of unidentified sets of remains runs into the thousands. She works with many individuals, groups and organizations who try to match these cases up. Marian has also learned how to use networking to keep John and Jane Doe cases in the public eye and has worked frequently with NamUs.org, Can You Identify Me and Children Without A Voice. "My objective is to keep the missing and unidentified cases out here so none of them are forgotten and I pray they will be found safe."