For years, Frumi* found solace in fairy tales, entranced by the notion that a prince could gallop up on a white horse and transform a young maiden’s life into something beautiful. In truth, if you had to compare Frumi’s life to a genre of literature, it probably qualified more as a horror novel than anything that might have been written by the brothers Grimm.
From the time she was five, Frumi had been physically and verbally assaulted by her father, her mother pretending not to see what was happening right in front of her. By 18, Frumi was on the verge of a breakdown and she sought the help of a local therapist. Once again she was betrayed by someone who should have been a source of solace, her therapist sexually abusing her during numerous sessions. Having never had a positive male role model in her life, Frumi had no idea how deeply she had been wronged by both her father and her therapist. Confused and traumatized, she began self-harming in a desperate effort to numb the emptiness that enveloped her 24/7.
It was one of our PSA videos that made Frumi realize that what had been happening in her life was beyond troubling. Recognizing similarities between herself and the main character, Frumi called Amudim and after many hours speaking with her case manager, she came to understand that she needed to come to terms with her past in order to reorient herself on a healthy trajectory. Frumi’s case manager called her parents, telling them that their daughter needed help and assisting in allocating funds for her treatment, and a short time later Frumi was on a plane and headed to rehab.
Today Frumi is back home and in college and she along with several family members are seeing therapists. While Amudim is providing the support for the family, we are working together with the local police to bring the abuser to justice and ensure he does not do this again. Even though she is headed in a positive direction, it will take time for Frumi to heal and to start writing the next chapter in her life – one that is all about good health and personal growth. With the support of her Amudim case manager, Frumi is looking ahead to finally getting her very own happily ever after.
If you or someone you know has been abused in any way, call us. We are here to help.
*Some detaNIS changed to protect client confidentiality