Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2693

Tonight's special guest is Victoria Kelly from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a returning guest. She's a child abuse survivor and long-time NAASCA family member / volunteer. Victoria was abused almost from birth in nearly every way imaginable. She was sexually assaulted starting as a baby .. an experience that was repeated by numerous predators and perpetrators and went on and on. In addition her alcoholic father beat both Victoria and her mother. But Victoria thought that was simply what happened to a child and a woman when they happened to be living on the wrong side of the tracks. She became reclusive and withdrawn, and there was little justice meted out to any of Victoria's predators. Early on she began to disassociate, a condition that was later in life diagnosed as MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder), now known as DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Victoria eventually spent years going in and out of mental hospitals, where she actually was grateful. At least the staff was kind and helpful. "I went to a wonderful psychiatrist and she help me for 13 years with MPD / the ID." She began drinking at an early age but sobered up with help from a 12 step group. Her sexual promiscuity led her to numerous bad adult relationships. It took a long time to find the right therapist and path to recovery but now she's integrated and years ago things finally started to come together. Life's still not perfect but now she's active helping the struggling. Among other things, Victoria works to end domestic and sexual violence. She attends support groups, speaks out at rallies and conferences, supports police, volunteers at shelters, and works directly with women and children to get their basic needs filled: food shelter and clothing.