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National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse
National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse
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CSA Survivor Force
The mission of CSA Survivor Force is to provide factual information about child sexual abuse (CSA) in a gripping manner to all forms of mass media to inform and educate large populations, reduce the stigma to discuss the topic, and affect change in individual and societal behaviors, policies and procedures across the U.S. and the world. |
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Child sexual abuse can be prevented and treated with a conscious and sustained effort.
Member - CSA Survivor Force:
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Tammy Shoffstall | |
Tammy Shoffstall - Florida based activist
TShoffstall@aol.com
706 / 533-8010
Facebook profile - NAASCA Board Member, volunteer
Tammy Shoffstall, now living in Jacksonville, Florida, is an abuse survivor and long-time NAASCA supporter. She currently serves as NAASCA's Treasurer and regularly appears on the "Stop Child Abuse Now" talk radio shows.
Tammy was the second child in an abusive marriage between a teenage mother and a soldier father who died when she was a toddler. Her mom went back home to live with her grandparents.
"I was a burden to my grandmother and she often stated that this world would be better off if I had never been born," Tammy says.
In this home she was physically, verbally, and emotionally abused by her maternal grandmother. "As a child and to this day, I struggle to understand why my grandmother chose to abuse me."
When she was eight her mother re-married, but one night her stepfather said he was going to teach her 'about life.'
"I fought for a while," Tammy reports, "then I stopped and turned to stone." |
The same stepfather went on to groom and sexually abused her sister for years.
Tammy's marriage was very abusive, too. She says, "I was financially strapped. My husband raped me several times."
She divorced him in her early 30's and went back to school. "I earned my bachelor, my master's, and am currently working on my doctorate."
Tammy considers her healing journey a work in progress. "I learned to stop looking for someone to love me. I made it a personal quest to find people to love and eventually people will love me back."
She concludes, "I transitioned from victim, to survivor, and am evolving into warrior. Being a warrior means helping others who are struggling with abuse or the effects of past abuse. One can linger in victim mode forever, but transitioning to survivor will allow healing to occur."
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