AHHHS is having Tanisha Bankston is our Special Guest tonight

Tanisha Bankston's story...

I am a mother of 3 children. I am a survivor of rape, incest, childhood sexual abuse, trauma, and domestic violence. I was raped at the age of 5 or 6. I told my family and I wasn’t believed. I was taken to the hospital. The man was never locked up. My mom said I had to relearn how to walk again. Was that not enough proof? I had missed over 60 days of school. I failed kindergarten. I was taken and separated from my mom and siblings. DHS took me and my siblings. My aunt adopted my youngest brother and me. My other brother and sister's family members had gotten custody of them. The abuse continued while living with my aunt. She never abused me but neighborhood men did. When I was 10 years old, one of my aunt's boyfriends manipulated me into having sex with him for years. When I was 11 years old, the neighborhood candy store grandson manipulated me into having sex with him.

When I was 13 years old, my cousin's husband manipulated me into having sex with him. He got me pregnant at 13. I became a teen mom at the tender age of 14. Still, at the tender age of 14, my son's dad manipulated me into having sex with him. He got me pregnant at the age of 17.

 I ended up in a domestic violence relationship with him from the age of 14 to 23 until I escaped. Some of my male cousins would come into my room at night and fondle in my pants and play with my vagina. I never received therapy until I turned 32. I broke silence on July 3, 2020, when I was given the opportunity to speak on NAASCA. I wrote and self-published my book on Amazon. The name of my book is “My Pain is My Power.” My website is www.mypainismypower.com