Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1006

Tonight's special guest is Melina Corzine Draffen from Illinois, a survivor, activist and author. She's especially revealing on her BLOG. Her father died when she was 18 months old. She was sexually abused by her stepfather, manipulated by her mother, and left to stay in the prison of a lie, the lie that she had a wonderful home life. It was far from normal. As she grew up and had children she made bad choices. "My excuses or reasons for my decisions were my abuse," she writes. About 10 years ago, Melina attempted suicide. "We could easily reflect on only the negative and live in our sorrow and pain," she says. "I choose to break the chain." She goes on, "I am a survivor, God has help me overcome a great tragedy in my life to stand up and tell about what He has done for me. I'm here, I'm blessed, and I'm alive. I will strive to do what He asks of me, to help those that feel alone." Her book, "Forgiveness Not Permission: A true story of my journey as a young child and young adult, through sexual abuse," was written under the pseudonym Mrs. Beth Kozine. On her blog Melina writes, "What I question today is, am I doing enough? Sure I wrote a book about my experience as an abused child and my decisions as I grew up, but is it helping anyone? Is there more I could or should do? Does God have more planned for me? Yes! Somewhere along the way I will know if I am doing everything I was supposed to. We all have a purpose."