Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2765

Tonight's special guest is Marlisse (Lisa) Hardamon from Beavercreek, Ohio, a returning NAASCA family member and a child abuse survivor who refers to herself as a 'victor'. From 5 years old through her teenage years Lisa was mentally, emotionally, sexually and physically abused. At 16, while she was babysitting for a family friend, she was once again sexually assaulted when the man of the house raped her. She says, "Today I dance in the light of my life, not as a victim, but a victor. I have learned to not only forgive my perpetrators but to forgive myself. I have learned to move past my pain ." Lisa's first book is entitled, 'Tapestry of A Victor: From Trauma to Triumph'. See her website: www.TransformationSpeaks.com. Marlisse explains her life, "Yes, I was abused and suffered from the result of that abuse. Yes, I cried and I even tried to end my life, several times. I hated myself and everyone, else. I was bitter and angry. I lived in a place of darkness, it covered my soul. I drank and smoked, just to numb the pain. I lived in the world of victimization, unable to heal and forgive." She's much better now. "I have been able to transform my life, using my pain as a platform to show women, how to live a transformed life, to move beyond their current situation into a place of wholeness, peace, and joy, as a minister, a public speaker, and a teacher. I am not a victim," she says, "I did not let my life destroy me, they [sic] made me strong and taught me how to truly live life." Marlisse is an engaging communicator. She has been honing her craft for 19 years as a High School teacher and a minister. She learned the value and strategies of engagement.