Hawaii Child Abuse Stories

Nani - H.E.A.R.T. Program
“Nani” is a 16 year old girl who lives with her biological parents. She had a long psychiatric hospitalization due to being suicidal and in danger of hurting herself. During her stay at the hospital, it was discovered that her feelings had been triggered by having been sexually abused by a male friend. Soon after she came out of the hospital she began our H.E.A.R.T. program. Initially, her Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale was a “low” score of 2 points. When we met her she wrote, “I am extremely positive about other people and negative about myself. I have a really bad self image.” During the Art therapy H.E.A.R.T. component, this teenager was able to share her emotions about fear and anxiety. She wrote, “I am fearful of doing something wrong. Fearful of disapproval. This emotion is all in my head. The mind is a powerful thing. So your body believes whatever the mind tells it. Once I am fearful it makes me cry. When your heart is broken, you can’t breathe. This leads to being anxious. When you’re anxious you’ll do anything to keep your mind busy. Sometimes it’s like a knot in your stomach when you get fed up with everything.” This teenager not only gained an ability to express her emotions, but at the close of the program, her self esteem score increased by 16 points to an 18, now in the “normal” range. It was also significant that she was not hospitalized again during the H.E.A.R,T. program.

Lani - H.E.A.R.T. and Ho’omaka Teen Teaming Programs
“Lani” is a 19 year old girl who originally lived with her father and step mother. After her father died, she was sexually abused by her step mother’s new husband. She was removed from that home and placed in foster care. Then, she was gang raped. Like many of our children, she suffered from multiple sexual abuse experiences. She became a participant in our H.E.A.R.T. Program. Initially, her Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale was in the “normal” range of 19 points. Her own words best describe how our H.E.A.R.T. program made a difference in her life. She wrote, “The H.E.A.R.T. program opened a door for me. I have had the opportunity to enjoy life. It helped me know that I am someone special for once, like being in a family. It helped me know that I am not alone, and am not the only one who went through a negative past. It helped me be with other girls that were abused and need to recognize that someone cares. It helped me have fun and be free and not worry about being abused again and just be comfortable with myself.” At the close of the H.E.A.R.T. program, her score increased by 11 points to a 30, now in the “high” range.

“Lani” transitioned into our Ho’omaka Teen Teaming program. During our time with her she has moved out of foster care, into a residential group home living situation, and then her own apartment. Like many of our youth, they change placements frequently and we remain a constant. As they “age out” of the foster care system, we continue to provide services. We have outfitted her with household items for her new place, helped her apply for college scholarships and continue to provide the emotional support that she needs to accomplish her goals. She is attending college, working part-time, and living on her own. The importance of our work with her was summed up when she wrote: “It gave me a shoulder to lean on. Now I feel more powerful in my independent life.”

Keoni - H.E.A.R.T. and Ho’omaka Teen Teaming Programs
“Keoni” is a 17 year old boy with a long history of abuse and neglect. He grew up in a household with a single mother who was addicted to crystal methamphetamine, “ice”. He remembers being homeless and living on the beach as a preschooler, and then being placed in foster care due to neglect and unsanitary living conditions. He was eventually returned to his mother’s care. At age 10 he was severally sexually abused by his mother’s boyfriend. This went unreported and untreated. He continued to live with his mother and had problems with substance abuse, physical aggression with peers, gender identity issues, and running away. While “on the run” he reported the necessity to engage in teenage prostitution in order to survive. Three years ago he was unable to return to his family of origin and placed into foster care. At high expense to the State, over the past three years he has been in 15 different placements, including foster care, therapeutic foster care, and residential treatment facilities.

In November, 2006 the Children’s Alliance of Hawaii began working with this boy in the Ho’omaka Teen Teaming and H.E.A.R.T. programs. Since his involvement with us he has remained clean from substance abuse, had no aggressive behavior problems, and has maintained his residential placement. He is now continuing his education in public high school. “Keoni” reports that his continued involvement with the Children’s Alliance has made a significant impact on his life.

Polli - Enhancements and H.E.A.R.T Programs
“Polli” is a victim of sexual abuse by her mother's boyfriend. As a result of the abuse, she became pregnant by the perpetrator. Initially, she did not want to disclose the sexual abuse due to the extent of the manipulation that she experienced by this man. She also did not inform anyone of her pregnancy, which was undetected until she was quite far along. She subsequently gave birth. Children’s Alliance of Hawaii became involved with this girl initially by funding her orthodontic treatment through the Enhancements Program.

She participated in the H.E.A.R.T. program. When we first met her she was quite withdrawn. In the H.E.A.R.T. referral information, to explain why she wanted to be a part of this program, this young girl wrote, “I am a very shy person. I don’t get out much. When I heard about this program I was excited to join because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.” She has completed all four components of H.E.A.R.T. and gradually become far more outgoing. Most recently, she began to laugh and talk more with her peers. Her self-esteem has significantly increased, as evidenced by an initial score of 11 (Low-Normal) on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to a score of 24 (High) at the close of the H.E.A.R.T. program.