**Please note: Names, locations and times have been changed in order to protect those affected**
“When people don't want you to hear you, you make them hear hear you!! If I would have said something, then maybe someone would have heard me!” - Lici
While most of us was enjoying ice cream and the simple things like going to the playground, kids like Lici's childhoods, were being torn to shreds.
By the age of 4 years old, Lici already knew what it was like to be physically tortured and raped. When I say tortured, I mean emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Lici was executed with experiences that should be considered unbearable for a child.
Lici was sexually assaulted since the age of 4. Her mother was an addict and regularly exchanged the molestation of her daughter for drugs. By the age of 5 years old, Lici was removed from her mothers care and placed in the system. Merely reaching the young age of 16, she had already gone through 35 somewhat 'normal' foster homes or residential treatment centres. But, by this time it was too late.
Lici was already in deep, from 11 she had been given cocaine, ecstasy and meth then, just stepping into her teens, she was introduced to who she believed to be the love of her life, by her mother.
Through providing Lici with the bare necessities like food and clothing "Prince Charming" was able to gain her trust, indirectly manipulating Lici into thinking he had her best interests at heart. It was not long before Lici was asked to return the favours. Jason wanted to run his own robbery operation and Lici had to hold up her end of the bargain, by luring men into her very own nightmare !
By 14 years old, she had been arrested six times including running away from home and assault as well as, being in a relationship fuelled by abuse, crime and prostitution. But, if asked about the situation today Lici would insist that they where just trying to survive, together.
Unbeknown to Lici her nightmare was about to sink deeper. During an armed robbery Jason pulled the trigger on his victim. Lici was just 15 at the time. A time where teenagers biggest question should be what they are studying in college or what to wear to their friends birthday.
Subsequently, records show that Lici has suffered from multiple mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder. All due to the trauma, abandonment and neglect she faced growing up.
Just before her 18th birthday, Lici was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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