My name is Dulce and I am an ex member of the ICC and I am also one of the next plaintiffs in the sexual abuse lawsuits which are being filed against the International Christian Churches (ICC).

After I became aware of the lawsuits a little over a year ago I felt safe enough to share my story, but this reopened the wounds that I had buried very deeply. This triggered an emotional, mental, and physical decline that has left me unable to work, or go to school, or be social. I feel almost as if I’m paralyzed. This has affected my friendships, and my relationship with my family. I can hardly even leave my house. I have been hospitalized three times due to suicidal ideation and extreme pain caused by retraumatizing myself by processing my story- A story I hoped to forget.

This has completely derailed me, prior to these memories being reawakened in me I was a fully functioning member of society. I had a job I loved, I was just about to complete my teaching credentials, I had a full social life and I was self sufficient. In the past year or so all of that has fallen apart.

While I want to focus on healing, that has been difficult because I have had to keep my case a secret, which has further isolated me from everyone I care about, and I find myself in constant worry over finances. I am currently 4 months behind on rent and I’m terrified that I am going to be evicted any day now. Thanks to generous donations facilitated by Chele and Justine I was gifted 2 months rent in March, but I have continued to fall behind.

I have tried to be as proactive and productive as I can in filing for disability and other resources. This process takes a very long time and it’s really overwhelming.

There are no resources for survivors like me, and I have had to completely put my ego aside to ask for help.

I am in a completely desperate place right now, and I have to ask for help. I am humiliated to even write this, but this shouldn’t even be my humiliation to bear. I need time and space to heal, which means in the very least I hope to have my rent paid for the next 6 months while I work through my trauma with my therapist.

Honestly, anything helps and I would be so grateful to anyone- and I am grateful to those of you who have donated in the past for other survivors.

Your donation doesn’t only help me, it shows other survivors that they will be supported and believed if they choose to come forward.