Kiana, Female – 17 y/o

Kiana came from a big family of nine children. But it wasn’t a happy household. Kiana’s sisters and brothers came from several different fathers and all lived with her mother. When Kiana was only five years old, her older brother began molesting her. The abuse went on for four years before her mother discovered what was happening. Kiana’s brother was sent to Juvenile Detention, but he still came home for visits. Kiana didn’t feel safe.

With the family in chaos, Kiana’s mother blamed her. As their relationship unraveled, Kiana’s mom began withholding food and other basic necessities. After suffering the trauma of sexual abuse, Kiana was now enduring physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

A social worker placed Kiana into one foster family, and then another and another. But none of the placements stuck. Kiana would fight with the families. When one of her foster fathers told her, “that’s why your mother didn’t want you,” Kiana ran away. For four months she disappeared to Las Vegas and Barstow where we suspect she was a victim of commercial sexual exploitation.

When Kiana came to VIP, she needed help recovering from the deep trauma of her childhood and the support to stay in a situation where she could get help. Along with counseling, Kiana also got to go shopping for new clothes with her clinician, made possible by our H.E.A.R.T. program, which raises fund to directly support victims of abuse by providing the “essential nonessentials” that help toward healing. As Kiana goes through counseling she is learning to accept the help of adults who genuinely care for her. Currently, living with a foster family in Palmdale, Kiana is attending high school and has plans to attend college when she graduates.