Diana, a beautiful and talented girl, spent her first seven years in foster care and group homes. Starting at age five, or perhaps even earlier, she was severely sexually abused on a daily basis. When she was seven, she was adopted by a very loving family and under their care she thrived and became an accomplished gymnast. She was artistic, resourceful and popular. In high school she made many of her own clothes and wrote an advice column for the student paper.
Diana didn’t talk about her abuse until she became a teenager. The family contacted the foster care administrator to report the abuse. The administrator expressed doubt about Diana’s story stating, “they had known the many for years.” A short while later, Diana’s abuser phoned the family and confirmed that Diana spoke the truth about the abuse. Diana’s adoptive parents did everything they could to help Diana heal from the past. No amount of love or therapy could bring back the self-esteem her abuser stole from her.
Even with her strong will to overcome her childhood trauma, Diana and her family suffered a final tragedy when she ended her own life.
Diana’s abuser, in addition to being the man who stayed all night with the children in the foster group home, was a family man, and a father.
Had this man been screened, Diana and countless other children might have been saved from even knowing the horror of sexual abuse.
In honor of Diana, and those who survived their childhood sexual abuse, Project Impact is pleased to provide The Diana Screen from Abel Screening Inc.. The Diana Screen identifies people who have a high probability of having sexually abused a child in the past.
The Diana Screen is intended to screen people who will be placed in positions of trust with children.
For more information on preventing sexual abuse in our communities, please contact Project Impact
www.endsexualabuse.com