Now I understand the reason I didn't want this thread closed.. It just hit me... I feel the pain so deeply for the survivors that have spoken out on this thread..Yes there is damage. Yes we can overcome. But there will always be this sense in the back of our minds, that we have been violated. Some, such as me, never understood why they kept looking over their shoulder all of their lives, that is until remembering being violated as a child... When we think of damage we sometimes think of discarding what has been damaged.. And then some know of the damage, but they have sewn a patch on the damaged parts and continued forward.. The damage will always be there.. The key is, there is more to us than just damage.. If we were damaged totally we would not be here today...But with understanding and healing, the damage will be just a small part of who we are...Some have become very successful.. whereas others have only managed to keep their heads above water...But they all survived!!! Despite the odds...There is hope within for damaged aspects of ourselves...Healing can happen... Healing may be a lifelong process.. There can be healing because we are all survivors.. We not only survived, we kept putting one foot in front of the other, and in many ways, never gave up.... Yes, we survived.... Wow.. I think i got it.....