Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2766

Tonight's special guest is Peter Elsley from Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, a child abuse survivor originally from New South Wales, Australia. Peter says his abuse began at 3 years old, at the hands of his mother, followed by his dad and later by his own sister. An older cousin sexually abused him from 13-14 years old. "My cousin lured me. He sexually molested, sexually abused, forced sexual incest, gang molestation, and committed physical and verbal child abuse. I was being kept home from school due to all the abuse that included my own sister. At school, I was bullied, teased and called names. Peter explains, "I thought the sexual abuse had stopped once [I was] around 14 years," he says, "however, I was wrong. My second event of sexual molestation happened with a music teacher." The 'fee' was sexual touching and sex. "While teaching, he would from time to time touch me between my legs while I was playing and concentrating on my lesson." Peter continues, "My third time of sexual abuse happened when I was sentenced to a boy's prison for a crime I never did." His own father threatened him with a loaded shotgun to get his version of truth. "I lived with my grandparents when I was 17 to 26 years," he says. "I survived the horrors of my abuse and yet was diagnosed in 1990 with HIV due to my childhood molestation. Almost 8 years ago, I reached out for counseling to seek the support and guidance from my horrible ordeal of child sexual molestation. My counseling is still continuing." Peter concludes, "I have thrived because I am strong, I have faith and the power by the Holy Spirit my Father in Heaven and my friend Jesus Christ."