'I thought I could cut away hurtful memories.'
"Gina* was very damaged - even before the deep cuts she inflicted on herself."
Alice, a care worker at Wesley Mission, tells.
Can you imagine someone you love hurting that deeply?
Gina sat, her small frame slumped in a chair, during that first meeting. The 17-year old homeless girl tugged at her sleeves to hide more than 40 deep scars.
Cutting herself was the only way she knew to get rid of her pain of her childhood memories.
About 70 percent of young girls who come into our Ashfield Independent Living Program 
have been abused like Gina, most of them sexually abused.
That abuse still torments them years on, and yet because of lack of funds, for every person like Gina we help, there are 2 more waiting.
"Many times I just didn't think Gina would make it. She didn't trust anybody."
But Alice and Wesley Mission persisted for a full two years, giving her a safe place to live and come to terms with the anguish of her abuse. Building Gina's trust. Teaching her to value herself. Giving her opportunities to learn new skills, like cooking, budgeting, finding a job and true friends, to rebuild her life in healthy ways.
Today, thanks to the help and caring support from people like you and Wesley Mission, Gina is a different person.
She's studying psychology at university, where she achieves distinctions and is a member of the youth council. Gina was also awarded Youth of the Year!
Please help rescue homeless lives like Gina's. DONATE NOW
*Models used and names changed to protect confidentiality.
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