Needs of child abuse survivors
Ark of Hope for Children recognizes that even after any physical or sexual abuse is over, the emotional torment continues for child abuse 
survivors. Victims can often face post traumatic stress (PTSD), mental illness, depression, anxiety, nightmares, falling behind in school, confusion, bullying, separation from siblings, bounced from home to home... the list goes on and on. Food and safe shelter only scratch the surface and yet even in the United States, victims often get little more. (See our international child abuse statistics)
Even adult survivors of child abuse that have not received help will eventually hit an emotional barrier that can feel insurmountable. We have embedded Harrison J. Bahe's short film below called The Manipulated Living by Navajo Joe Films. Manipulated Living helps us make our points in a dramatic way.
The acting of the young boy, Keyghan Burns, shows the level of terror faced by abused children;
sleeping with one eye open in fear of the next attack. The dramatization of his isolation and barren life are quite often a reality for many victims. Yet we who watch the news trick ourselves into believing once saved from the situation, these kids can go back to a normal life. This is far from the truth. The many emotions and fears do not hide well even when treated.
As the adult child abuse victim J. Lyle Johnson portrays, even into adulthood it can be as if it happened right down the hall for the rest of our lives. Cases in point are the adults in their forties and fifties that have contacted Ark of Hope for Children seeking some form of help.
Victims worldwide are receiving far too little emotional help to overcome the mental obstacles forced upon them by their abusers. Sometimes none at all unless they have financial means to pay professionals. Most people may not be psychologists or professional therapists, but many can be great listeners.
Ark of Hope for Children founder Blair Corbett has been "listening" to child abuse survivors of all sorts online since 1992 and has now started Removing Chains live chat survivor support site to carry that mantle. Hundreds of heart wrenching life stories have been shared with him. In most cases peoples lives have been changed simply by listening and committing to not turn away. In this way, once we have earned the trust of a survivor, we have an opportunity to guide them towards their local providers of assistance.
