A story of abuse is never easy to tell, especially when it involves an innocent child.

Quinne, a Filipino girl,  remembers her family being loving and happy. Both of her parents worked hard, and she excelled in school. She loved to sing, dance, draw pictures, and play with her friends. Life was good!

Quinne’s father was employed as a motorcycle driver and her mother contributed by working two jobs. But monthly expenses and rising financial debt kept them from making ends meet, so Quinne’s mom decided to go to Oman to work so she could send money home. Little did she know that after she left, her once-responsible husband, who previously had no vices, would begin to change. He eventually stopped working and spent the money she sent from Oman on drugs and alcohol. His children were often left at home and neglected for long periods of time.

One day, Quinne found her father with another woman, both of them stark naked. This secret was a painful burden Quinne kept to herself out of fear that her mother would never come home if she found out.

At age 11, Quinne was sound asleep in her bed when she was awakened by her father. He had removed her shorts and underwear while she was asleep. As she woke up, he raped her little body for his own pleasure. This nightmare would repeat itself many times in the following months, sometimes on successive nights. Of course, he commanded her not to tell anyone. His abuse and total control made her life unbearable.

The formerly carefree Quinne became nervous and afraid, unable to sleep because of the terror that her father might force himself upon her at any time. Flashbacks intruded into her mind throughout the day. She became impatient toward her younger siblings at the slightest provocation. Her desire to sing shriveled up like a dried-out sponge, and her simple happiness seemed to have vanished forever.  

After months of carrying the heavy secret about her dad’s affair, Quinne told her mother about it during a video call, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter the words about her father’s abuse. A few days after the call, Quinne’s mom returned home from Oman and discovered that her daughter had been missing for hours. Finally, Quinne was found cowering under a table in fear and shame. A relative advised Quinne’s mother to ask her daughter what had happened. When she did, the horrible truth finally came tumbling out! Her mother took her directly to a social worker’s office to report the crime and file a complaint against her husband.

Quinne is now a new resident at our partner’s safe home in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines. She lives with other girls who have also experienced sexual abuse and are waiting for the case against their perpetrator to be concluded. Quinne hopes and prays that her father will be prosecuted for the crime he committed against her so many times. Although the girls have been placed there by the government, the home is run by missionaries who love them and disciple them in the ways of the Lord. The girls receive counseling, are able to attend school, and eat three meals a day—many of them for the first time in their lives!