Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1935

Tonight's special guest is Pippi (Darcy) Heyd from Honor, Michigan, a returning NAASCA family member and current NAASCA State Ambassador for Michigan. From the Sault Saint Marie Band of Ojibwe Indian, she is the youngest of 6 children, and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) at a young age by an older brother and grandfather. Her mother did not protect Darcy but tried to cover it up, instructing her not to tell anyone about it. Darcy's brother was later incarcerated for the kidnapping and rape of a young girl. During his imprisonment Darcy says, "My mom didn't want me around as I was her shame.” Over a 6-year period she was placed with 6 different foster families. The emotional abandonment by her mother left her feeling confusion, chaos, shame, self-doubt, and fear. When her brother was released it triggered trauma. She struggled with maintaining a consistent job and used food to self-medicate. Darcy now advocates that mandated reporting laws should include ANY adult, summarizing, “If a child tells an adult in their life that someone is hurting them, and that adult does nothing to try and stop it, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Darcy has a photography business, is a CASA advocate for foster children, and is the founder of the TORO-The Guardian Rescue Project, providing service dogs for survivors of CSA. Since her last time on the show, she's focused on self-healing and wants to share what has benefited her including, “self-care, therapy (it's timing and place), breaking ties with toxic family members and friends and surrounding yourself with people that validate and support you.”