Samarah M Falemalu posted:I had a hearing yesterday, it didn't go well at all. How is someone who is mentally impaired able to correctly represent themselves in a court of law, especially one who has two severe anxiety disorders? I wasn't allowed to bring in my boyfriend to help me feel safe. I had a teddy bear. How is one with a memory issue and one who is unable to control her own emotions due to the brain not working when under stress from severe childhood abuses and neglect for at least 9 years, supposed to have the resources to possibly even begin to comprehend this? Let alone have no help or support on her side due to lack of knowledge of the disorder in the first place. Not only am I unable to get the help I need thus far, but I feel utterly depleted.
I am sooo sorry!!! I get it 100% my gosh I feel fod you. I have been there. Right now the harsh truth is that our legal system still depends on the traumatized victims stiry, testimony AND GROWTH. 😒 I'm a human trafficking survivor. 65 years old. I speak publiclg now. As you well no human trafficking survivors are raped and beaten repeatedly. But the one rape that I still have a hard time letting go of is the one when I was gang raped and left for dead in the apple orchard and the police and Healthcare were involved. Their attitude, and the attitude of the prosecutor was, "I had it coming." I never got justice. I was 28 years old. They relied on my testimony, my story, and I was not a good Witness. I was a freaking mess! And that's why I didn't get Justice. It's so backwards! Is there a Rape Crisis Center near you? Like a YWCA? They have Advocates that can walk you through this. I wish I knew how to help you. What I do now in my retirement is speak out and I write. It helps me so much. But I'm finding it's helping others as well. If you'd like to read anything I wrote you can go to my Facebook page titled Ruth Rondon or Ruth Rondon on human trafficking. I have an article here on Aces connection and a lot of them I posted on LinkedIn too. I'm speaking to a legislative committee in January. I'm going to talk about how Aces and human trafficking are connected. Our system needs a complete overhaul when it comes to blaming victims and not realizing the effects of trauma. I have to add though: even in my world of Darkness there was a kind detective who questioned me at the hospital after the apple orchard right. Even today I look back at his patience and concern and I can see how just those few kind words impacted me in a huge way. They are out there. There are people that understand Aces. Even in our justice system. We are living in an era of change. Seek those people out. Surround yourself with your supporters. I am thinking of you.