Did you know that over 3 million children are victims of child abuse? There was a little girl from Lansing, Michigan, who fell victim to this statistic. She was the oldest of three siblings and the daughter of a work-a-holic and a substance abuser. Her dad worked full time to make ends meet while also being a full-time student. Her mother was a stay at home mom who primarily tended to the needs of her and her siblings, however, she often struggled with substance abuse. Although they had a two-parent household, times for them were very rough. There was a lot of violence in their home and they were very underprivileged.
Their family relied heavily on government assistance, charities, and other non-profit organizations. If it weren’t for this help, their family would not have had the basic necessities needed for survival. All of their clothes were hand me downs. Their shoes never cost more than $10 and they were expected to last them the entire school year. Majority of their food came from food pantries, while the rest was obtained with food stamps. Fortunately, they were able to have the proper medical and dental care thanks to government assistance programs.
The detriment of her broken home affected her behavior at school. By middle school, she was skipping school and getting involved with things no middle schooler should be involved with. She was getting into countless fights and displaying the violence that she witnessed with regularity onto other students. Having alopecia and worn-down clothes and shoes made her an easy target for bullying. She was hurt, but the only emotion she knew how to express was anger. When she became angry she responded with violence.
Her parents noticed the change in her behavior and took her to get a psychiatric evaluation. This was a week-long process that caused her more harm than good. This made her feel like an outcast and that something was wrong with her, when in fact, it was her household projecting ill feelings and behaviors onto her. Child Protective Services (CPS) was in and out of their home and her and her sibling were in jeopardy of being taken away. Being the oldest child, she felt the pressure of this greatly. The last thing she wanted was for her and her siblings to be separated. Unfortunately, when she was in high school an argument between her and her father landed her on the streets. She was reported as a runaway and from time to time she was brought back into her parents’ home. Each time it was less than twenty-four hours before she was back on the streets again.
She credits her upbringing for molding her into the person that she is today. Through maturation she now knows that much of the violence her and her siblings endured was due to the stress caused by being financially burdened and the fact that her parents were extremely young. She has dealt with her past traumas and knows it is her passion and duty to help other kids going through similar situations. There is still great work needed to promote the safety, preservation, and development of the youth. She can't imagine where she would have been if it weren't for the help of the charities, non-profits, and government assistance programs she had growing up. She understands the difference it can make on your life when just one-person notices that you need help. It could be the simplest things that make the biggest difference. This little girl was me. My name is Angel Veasley. This is the reason I started The Help of an Angel, Inc.