CALIFORNIA
Sacramento Bee
By Paula Treat
Special to The Bee
Published: Wednesday, Sep. 4, 2013
It is perhaps a product of the times we live in that we are finally able to confront old demons in a public forum. Just a few years ago I would have been terrified to say out loud that I survived sexual abuse and molestation at a very young age. Recently, however, I made that revelation in front of my colleagues. I testified at a legislative hearing on a bill that will allow some victims of such abuse legal recourse to find some semblance of justice.
Surviving molestation does not come without cost. My life was changed instantly, terribly and dramatically when a trusted individual in authority decided to abuse a second-grader.
I have learned over the years that I am part of a painful sorority. Unfortunately, since the introduction of Senate Bill 131, by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, I have learned that girls who were my age then still suffer from the effects of the abuse when we become women our age now. It is not unusual to hide the details from those closest to us, or suppress the memories to spare ourselves. The momentary sexual satisfaction of the abuser remains a lasting specter in the lives of the abused.
The stories are similar. They are unpleasant to repeat in polite company, yet they deserve to be told to set the record straight and to do everything possible to prevent them from being repeated.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.