Adult abuse survivors need help, too

Nov 11, 2017

Great work, North Star (“Halt this awful crime,” Nov. 3 editorial)! Glad to see it. The only problem is the Pennsylvania powers that be are excluding us who lived it from engagement in the round table discussion on human trafficking. Though I am glad to see the community conversation finally starting, I am disappointed it is not with more inclusion to those of us who lived the actual narrative. A youth survivor and adult worker turned researcher and community ally, I lived in Lancaster County for 13 years. I was one of those teens, yet as a civically engaged, community-involved adult in need, no agency, services or support were made available to me. If anything, Lancaster responded with silence.

I was devastated and had to relocate due to financial and emotional duress. I thank you, Linda Crockett of Samaritan Counseling Center, as the only person who invited me back to Lancaster to participate in a healing process. Adult survivors are part of the narrative. Some of us have been having this community conversation for a long time before this article. It’s sad to me that it’s only audible under the media spotlight.

Melanie Dante

Philadelphia

http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/adult-abuse-survivors-need-help-too/article_edf37e4a-c63c-11e7-b167-a7ea8febcf0f.html

Published by mgd777

Goddard College adviser Katt Lissard wrote, Melanie was always a pleasure to work with. She's articulate, intelligent, highly creative, and has a strong sense of justice and the individual's right to personal freedom. Her work moves between the transgressive & the transformative, always including compassion & heart." WIKI: http://wikidelphia.org/wiki/Melanie_Dante