Prayers and thoughts go out to mother and children

I am a mother of three living north of Atlanta and am writing because of the article in the national media. There is little need to go into the nasty details of this case, I am only praying that the wife and children are ok. I grew up in Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, so this story hurt me deeply, not only because it is my home town but because my children and I have been through this very thing almost three years ago; we were fortunate enough however that there were some in public offices that protected us from our local media. I am divorced now and trying to put the pieces back together. I understand all too well the shame and horror she must feel! My heart goes out to her and her children. I hope she only has to endure his most recent actions and never find out that it was her own children who were molested. That is the nature of my own situation, two of my three children were molested by my ex-husband, and he later confessed he molested both girls from his previous marriage. He is in prison now, far away where he can not come near them until they are all adults.

In our case many things were brought to light after those dark days, I discovered there were other members of my family who had been molested and there were many other stories like this, stories of things swept under the rug and long forgotten. No one was ever charged or investigated, all are free and none of them have had to pay for what they have done, yet there are generations suffering for their selfish actions!

I hope that somehow Ms. Atchison will find a way to make it through this. My advice to her and her family is to pray! Trust God. At times like these you will find He is all you have. I pray she will find support, something like this can and will destroy you if you let; it can destroy you financially (none of my children receive child support nor are eligible for government aide); it can break your spirit and your belief that there is anything good left in the world will fade, and it will cause you to never trust again. There are so many things that people do not understand, so many ways the wife and mother suffer through this. And after the dust settles and the rumors are no longer all over town, once your name has been stained and your reputation ruined. How can we be good mothers if we are forgotten? We are looked upon as though we are diseased or somehow tainted because of the actions of our spouses. People never look at you the same again. I find it odd that society stresses care for the children and they forget the one must provide that care: it's the wives and mothers who are forgotten and left to fend for themselves. Please someone let her know she is not alone! All my prayers will be with them daily! May God teach you again how to trust, how to live and love and most of all, the hardest of all, how to forgive!

T. Kay Atlanta, Ga.