Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2950

Tonight's special guest is Michelle M. Kang, PhD, from Saigon, Vietnam. Michelle was sexually abused at the age of 4 for the first time and had the worst time until the age of 8 as a victim of sexual abuse within her family. "Since then," she says, "I have been vulnerable to the abuse in the socio-cultural context where sexual matters were a taboo subject. It took me 40 years to face that my heart was in trouble." Read her book, 'Michelle’s Story'. Married in 1999, Michelle continued to struggle with challenges with communication and relationships. "During my stay in the U.S., my relationship with my ex-husband fell apart and I got divorced in 2011. Being on my own in the U.S., I relied heavily on alcohol to relieve the despair of not being allowed to contact my kids for about a year." Between 2012 and 2013, she became more active in her faith, allowing God to be a more active part of her life. "Through my prayers, I realized that my heart needed to be healed. Since I had been talking to God, I was able to gradually start sharing my own story with others. This led to my hope that I could dedicate myself to helping victims of sexual abuse with their healing and empowerment." In 2014, Michelle formed a non-profit, 'One Life One Heart' based on her own experience. "I chose the name to portray that one’s life goes with one heart that carries all of one’s stories whether happy or tragic. I point out that it is important to take care of our own and keep it functioning properly to enjoy a healthy life."