Hadley was sexually assaulted while living in another state. Due to the trauma and fear, she moved back to Florida to be with her family. She left a lucrative career, a great apartment, and the friends she had made. It took her six months to call Project HELP. During those six months, she was unable to leave her parents’ home by herself, go to work, or even drive a car. When Hadley came in for her first appointment with us, she was clearly scared. She shared that she almost turned around and left before she got to the door. She didn’t want to talk to a stranger about the sexual assault, yet the pain of living in fear was greater than the fear of re-opening the wound. Hadley attended weekly counseling sessions at Project HELP for months. She also attended a Project HELP support group where she learned that her fears and concerns were much like those of the other survivors. After several weeks of attending group, Hadley was able to share her experiences to help a younger group member. After about six months, Hadley was able to get a part time job in her field. During the year and a half that Hadley has been receiving services at Project HELP, we provided her with the in-person crisis intervention counseling and support she had needed. We have also helped her with advocacy and referrals to access the civil legal and criminal justice services in the state where the crime occurred. Hadley has also utilized our 24-hour HELPline on those nights where the thoughts of the assault kept her trapped in her bed. Now, a year and a half later, Hadley is dating, and has a full time job.

It is because of the generous support of our donors, sponsors, and volunteers that stories like this are possible. Thank you for making a difference in the life of Hadley and the many other survivors who depend on Project HELP to rebuild their lives after tragedy and trauma.