Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1238

Tonight's special guest is Pamala Turner Pounds from Alamosa, Colorado, sexually abused in her childhood by her mother, father, three brothers and grandfather. She was severely physically emotionally and verbally abused her mother daily, sold to her drug dealers and became addicted to heroin and alcohol at age 9. Pamala's been clean and sober since early 2009. But before she got there she was homeless, in domestic violence relationships and had to prostitute herself in order to survive on the streets of Denver. She has been wheelchair bound due to a stroke almost three years ago, and 100% dependent on her spouse. Pamela struggles with mental health issues and says she had way too many suicide attempts and mental heath hospital stays. Blessed with an amazing husband, Brad, and four children, she tells me has a good life now. "I don't pretend to be someone I'm not because I'm too good at being me," Pamala says. "I might not be proud of some of what I've done in the past but I'm proud of who I am today." When asked to participate here, she jumped at the chance saying, "I would love to be on your show." And she went on, "I still struggle sometimes with abuse from my past. But I want to help others through my story." She said, "There's a lot more to my abuse story. I'm writing my story now." Pamala concludes, "Life is what you make of it so don't waste your time on the petty things. Take life by the horns and run with it."