Guest commentary: As childhood survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse, we were preyed upon by adults with sinister intentions. They exploited our vulnerabilities as children in the foster care and child welfare systems by Jarrett Harper & Sara Kruzan
A legislative proposal, Senate Bill 545, would prevent victimized children in foster care or the child welfare system from being tried as an adult if they commit a violent crime against their abuser. Photo by Shelby Knowles for CalMattersA legislative proposal, Senate Bill 545, would prevent victimized children in foster care or the child welfare system from being tried as an adult if they commit a violent crime against their abuser.
All we ever wanted is what all children want: care, love and belonging. Child predators know that, so they seek out children with histories of neglect and trauma. That made us easy targets. We endured unspeakable and repeated acts of abuse and exploitation at the hands of our abusers and traffickers.
Later, while still children, both of us killed our abusers for the harm they inflicted upon us and to make sure they couldn’t harm any other child. We were both tried as adults and sentenced to life without parole, condemned to die in prison. While we did our best to hope that justice would eventually be served, neither of us had the expectation of leaving prison alive. Thanks to the efforts of advocates, attorneys, multiple California governors – and our resolve to never lose faith –Today, we are both parents. Because of our original prison sentences, this is an opportunity we never thought we would have. We are working with state Sen.
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