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Hi, I’m Leah and I’m a survivor of abuse.

My abuse came in various forms, sexual, verbal and physical. I spent my teenage years being self destructive and cycled through various forms of self harm to try and block out my past. I’m now 32 and after years of counselling for post traumatic stress disorder, chronic depression and insomnia, I’m now fairly recovered. I say fairly, because anyone who has suffered from abuse knows that it drags along behind you every single day, making sure that you know it’s there, pulling at the edges of your mind.

I’ve reached a point in my life where I have felt a strong pull to do something for others that have suffered and are recovering from abuse. I want to make these beautiful, strong children smile and laugh and see their eyes shine, see them achieve something and the proudness they aren’t afraid to show.

In December 2013 I came up with a concept for a not for profit organisation after being inspired by the group ‘Bikers Against Child Abuse’. These ‘tough’ bikers brought tears to my eyes and I read their stories and watched their videos. The emotion these amazing men and women showed had me ready to tackle the world and make a difference to at least one child. I decided to launch a new not for profit organisation ‘Writers Against Child Abuse’ – changing the lives of children one word at a time.

My goal is to raise enough funds from donations, authors who donate per sale and fundraising efforts to provide a four day camp for children who have suffered from abuse. There are so many ways that kids can be abused and these kids need to know that there are people in the world that value them. That understand them. That know it’s not easy for them to trust anybody and that in that four days we are asking them to do so much trust.

I want these kids to feel special for those 4 days. To experience fun and games, to laugh without remembering what has happened to them for five minutes, to just be kids…because for most of them that has been ripped away from them far too early.

Writers Against Child Abuse (WACA) needs your help to make this dream a reality. Initially, the first camp will run in Victoria only and then as we grow and find more people in other states wanting to take on the challenge, spread out to the rest of Australia.

What do we need?

Well, obviously funds. We still do not have a website and we are looking for someone willing to donate one or donate the funds for us to develop one ourselves. For only $100, we can get a basic website that we can run ourselves.

Fundraisers will include promotional products, we already have magnets and mugs available and wristbands will be available in the new year.

Currently we are only on Facebook, you can find us at www.facebook.com/WACAsupport

If you have a spare $1 or want to find a way to help out, want to be involved in the camps or evening the day to day running please contact Leah. She promises not to squeeze you too tightly.

If the only thing you can do is share this story, share the Facebook page or simply tell someone, then that is enough. Every word, every sentence WILL make a difference to the life of these amazing little survivors.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story and thank you to each and every one of you who has survived. My world is richer because of you. Let’s make a difference together.

Posted by purplepig, 28th December 2013

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