April’s Story

I could hear the police outside, yelling to the rapist that they knew I was in the apartment! Within moments they broke in and took him into custody. My cousin and brother came running in to release me from this torture. My cousin grabbed me and ran home. It was VICTORY! I was immediately placed into the tub, and there was a detective taking pictures and asking questions. I felt that I was rescued from the pit of hell.

I was taken to the hospital to be examined, which was awkward and very uncomfortable. I was in shock, in pain and bleeding. I would have to have surgery to repair what was damaged. While lying in the hospital bed, I fell asleep only to be woken by a dream of all that happened. It’s as if I just relived the whole experience. I just wanted to feel normal. I just wanted to go back to school to be with my friends and feel like a 12-year-old girl again. I no longer felt Innocent, pure or clean. My thoughts were corrupted. My life was turned upside down. I wondered, how was I going to do this life anymore? I remember an outpouring of love from my 6th grade peers. There was one thing that helped me. I wish I could say it was Jesus, but I didn’t know him yet. But I was picked up at the school by a detective and brought to a counseling office to talk about what had happened. I believe the counseling helped me sort out my feelings about the experience. A lot was erased from my memory, which I believe was God’s way of protecting me.