Charmaine Ferguson

I'm fundraising for...

I'm taking part in Bravehearts' 777 Marathon virtually I will run a marathon each day for seven days to raise funds for the prevention of child sexual abuse.As a survivor of child sexual abuse it’s important to me to raise awareness regarding the lifelong damages abuse does to a child ,the daily struggles a child has to survive and the daily struggles the child has as they grow into a adult .The young adult has  struggles with relationships ,friendships and learning how to trust ,body and health issues . Most of the young abused adults I knew when I was living in a refuge are dead from drug overdose and suicide .

For me the abuse shaped who I become as an adult and impacted my ability to navigate society, divided my family and isolated me more the abuse taught me to hate myself and who I was .

.What most young people take for granted becomes a daily struggle for an abuse victim to survive and to navigate mental health issues . My abuse happened during times when professionals decided it was the child’s fault and to ignore the signs . 

Teaching children to find someone they can trust that wont betray that trust and will listen to them and to help them escape the abuse is the first step in healing.

Assisting the children seek psychiatric counselling to mend there broken souls and body’s can help these children see there worth before it’s to late .

if providers such as breaveheart were around when I was abused my life may of been different ,my abuse didn’t just effect me ,it impacted my half brothers and there life’s and the people I touched through life.

The people that loved me yet couldn’t break through the Barriers I had formed ,the people that saw a broken person and abused her more . 

If I had of learnt how to trust I would have received counseling much earlier in life instead of still being in counseling .

Please help me meet my fundraising goal by donating online today.

The one thing I did was stop the cycle with my children and grandchildren ,the last thing I want to do is for others such as my psychologist to learn from the damage abuse does and help other abuse victims with that knowledge.

Running for me like most of the running community is an escape or an outlet .