Dan Crall is 28 years old and lives in Corvallis, Oregon. He attended Victory Home for Boys when he was a teen. Victory Home for Boys operated under the same type of hard-line religion as most religious reform schools. I thought it would be fitting to include the statement of a man who went through a similar situation. It's important to remember that girls are not the only ones who have been locked up against their will. Mr. Crall has graciously provided his story below describing his experience and feelings on this subject. I asked the questions and the answers below are his words entirely.
MU: Please describe your experience in a boy's reform school environment. Also, I'd like to know the following: Were you abused, and if so, how; when did this take place; where was it located and why did you have to go there?
DC: My experience at Victory Homes for Boys (VH) in Amberg, Wisconsin was a mixed experience. I had some good times, met some good people, successfully completed my eighth grade year and did learn some important lessons: I learned to control myself, and to get along in normal society without vandalizing property, always being in conflict with other people and in trouble at school.
Before VH, I was pretty hyper-active, destructive and annoying as hell, I would imagine. The most important part of the curriculum that VH wanted all of us to leave with was a new, devoted relationship with Jesus Christ. I left wanting anything but. While I was there, I was forbidden to talk about past "sins," we never watched movies that were not boring, PG or G-rated family/Christian films, we were not allowed to listen to any "Satan's music" (any music with a beat, or anything that was not Gospel/church music...even Christian rock was demonized, and called "worldly"). We were not allowed to do much of anything that was not in line with hard-line, fundamentalist principles. This really sucked because a lot of the things that were important at that time in my life were all made out to be grave sins, with no room for flexibility. All the teachings were Biblically based, but the only motivation to buy into what they said was fear.
It wasn't too interesting. We woke up with Bible devotions, went to school down the hill where Bible class was a significant part of the day, we had a chapel service every evening, we went to church 3 times a week in town at a boring, strict Baptist church... and all throughout the day, God was the topic of the leaders' discussion, at least 90% of the time.
As a form of punishment for 3 demerits or more during one day, we would have to write the same Bible verse over and over for an entire hour, filling at least 3 pages of paper, front and back. I usually had more than 3 demerits each day.
Along with many others at various times, I was put on "restriction" in which I would sit in a walk-in coat closet at a desk, not allowed to talk to anyone, though they were around in nearby rooms. When we went to church, those on restriction were not allowed to converse with anyone, aside from the VH staff.
While it was no fun at the time, I look back and don't consider this "inhumane" considering how bad some other people have been/ are currently punished at boarding schools. I was never physically abused, though I did have a weird encounter with the house-parent Mr. Baker, who once tried to give me a wedgie with this creepy smile on his face. This took place in the kitchen after dinner, and others were nearby doing after-dinner chores; it was something I walked away from quickly. Nothing of the sort ever happened again. I never reported it because it seemed kind of insignificant to me, and thought that maybe I was playing it out in my own perverted mind too much. It really didn't bother me at the time... and still doesn't today. It was just a little weird. I really don't think that he meant any harm. Maybe the devil got a hold of him momentarily.
As far as I know, nobody else was physically or sexually abused at the home. We were all subject to the stiff, legalistic ideology, preparation for a boring and sheltered life, and the brainwashing.
I was sent to VH because my mother was tired of the daily phone calls from the school principal; I never behaved at church, around town or anywhere. I had also vandalized many vehicles in my younger years, and on one occasion got caught by the owner of a junkyard, who assessed over $2,500 in damage. My mom was unaware of the legalistic practices and beliefs of this school. She had consulted with them and asked if they were followers of Jack Hyles (former Fundamental Baptist empire leader). They didn't subscribe to Hyles, or any specific Christian leader that I was aware of. They had many friends in the ministry, but their main source was the King James Version of the Holy Bible. My mom felt that this was what I needed.
MU: What changes would you like to see with these reform schools?
DC: My experience was different from many kids who have been sexually and physically abused. I was not abused, but I was brainwashed day in and day out. I do believe that boarding school curriculum should be monitored by competent officials. I am hesitant to say that state/govt. officials should be in charge, because many of them are simply incompetent. These places should be honest and up-front with their ideology and beliefs to the parents who are sending their kids there and the child who is going to the school should be aware as well. If they are hard-line fundamentalists, that should be disclosed, rather than just quoting a bunch of verses in their mission statement.
While trying to get these leaders to "cool it on the God stuff" is not an option, they need to know that brainwashing and forcing their ideals down one's throat never yields good results, unless the person they brainwash has a mind that accommodates fear and being controlled as the norm. As a side note, I truly am not aware whether or not VH was state-licensed.
MU: Do you think these reform schools have a negative effect on teens who have been placed there against their will? Why or why not?
DC: I think it really depends on the school, the teen, and their lot in life. Some teens really need the discipline and structure that some boarding schools offer. Others do not. There should be a thorough assessment by the school's officials as to whether or not the teen needs their assistance, rather than assuming, "Everyone needs the Lord, and here's another body to put in the school." As for the troubled teens who DO need the rehabilitation, going to the measures of sending them to a boarding school may be the only answer. As for teens who are average, rebellious hormone-balls, there may be a better answer. Perhaps a shorter time of being institutionalized... for instance, a summer away can make a lot of difference, whereas an entire year can be too much. In my situation, 4-5 months (or half a school year) would have been plenty of time. A whole school year was too long.
MU: What would you say to a parent who is considering placing their teen in an unlicensed reform facility that forces religion and uses solitary confinement as a means to rehabilitate?
DC: If you are hoping that your teen will become a devoted Christian, in the process of rebuilding a troubled life, it's very important that you understand what brand of Christianity they are being subjected to. Hard-line, fundamentalist, all-or-nothing salvation is not the way to convert anyone, unless you simply want fear of hellfire to win them over. The leaders and mentors who taught me the fundamentalist view of Christ rarely had anything to say about peace, love, forgiveness and the joy that can come with being a Christian.
Or maybe they did, but they sure made it sound boring, guilt-ridden and unrewarding. They focused on how angry God is, and why sinners should beware. They were judgmental as hell, but once you turned the tables on them, they would quote, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." They had an answer in the form of a Bible verse for everything.
This brand of Christianity borders on dangerous, if not just spiritually devoiding. I know there are worse fundamentalists out there who use the Bible as a means to justify abuse, racism, violence and other TRUE evil sins. I got the kind that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and makes you hunger the "things of the world." This is not the way to convert anyone in a way that will be a lasting, productive change. Eventually, they will look the entire concept over and rebel against it. They may also come to the conclusion that religion sucks and not want any part of God...or any religious ideals for the rest of their lives.
MU: How did you feel when you were released from the boy's facility you were in? Were you angry at your parents? Did you suffer from depression?
DC: I was angry at my mom, for not taking me out of VH when I begged her to at the halfway point. I knew I had learned all I was going to learn, and was desperate to get out. After I returned home she was a lot more lenient with me, as far as allowing me to choose what music I would listen to, how I would dress, etc. (very important to me at that time of my adolescent/teenage life.)
She did try to get me into church when I returned home, and I wanted no part of it. I hated God, and all Christian activity like never before. I wanted to "feed my flesh" or give into "sinful" desires... though, looking back, the "sinful" desires I had were normal.
Listening to rock music, laughing at and telling dirty jokes, looking at girls, swearing... those were so demonized by Pastor Steve and his goons at VH. I now believe the real evil in this world (as mentioned before) is violence, hatred, racism, greed- but these were not the main focus when Pastor Steve discussed what went against God.
After I left VH I took in all the "filth of the world" that I possibly could, and to this day, still seek out ungodly, worldly spirituality, entertainment, etc. There have been times that I have actively chosen the "low road" just to go against the Christian way. I still have this very small part of my mind that thinks that deep down, the entertainment I choose is evil, and feel like I should have guilt over it. But, I don't allow myself to. There is also a part of me that realizes that Christ doesn't have to be the angry stiff I was introduced to. I also never evangelize anyone because I don't want to sound like those assholes at VH. I am hesitant to talk about Christ and God's love, because I do not want to identify with that brand of Christianity. I don't seek out Christian fellowship, unless I know the Christian has a good, liberal head on their shoulders.
I find a nice balance in Unitarian Universalism, in that it is a church without dogma or a creed. I am able to think for myself, have a responsible search for truth and meaning and look to many sources of wisdom in a community of like-minded people. The Unitarian Universalist Church was the first church I ever joined on my own free will. I rarely enjoy experiences at Christian churches because I still associate Christians with being strict and boring, or just plain dorky. I also don't feel that people who gather in the name of a religion that forsakes other religion to be open-minded. Open mindedness is very important to me in a church community.
I do feel a connection with God/Source/Spirit when I take solitary walks in the Oregon forest. Out there, I am able to communicate and listen to the Divine Being. During these times, I feel a sense of peace, and I want to go out and help others, love the unlovable and put out positive energy. This is not the same feeling I got while stuck at VH, being forced to subscribe to their unexciting way of connecting with God.
I am thankful that I can find that peace with God now. While I often struggle, I have faith and thankfulness to the God that has blessed me in many ways, and am happy that I can recognize that in my own way. THAT is true spirituality.
Survivor Statements (Choose a name or just read down)
Statement of Dan Crall
Statement of Candice Aiston
My name is Candice Aiston. I attended Victory Christian Academy in Jay, Florida from June 19, 1992 to June 4, 1995. Before I attended VCA, I was not overtly religious, although my parents baptized and raised me in the Catholic faith. I was sent to VCA because my parents felt that they were desperate for help. I had been expelled from two private schools, had been arrested for shoplifting, and had used illegal drugs on a few occasions. I had severe emotional problems and depression due to the death of my biological mother and my subsequent adoption, and was seeing a psychiatrist. My parents were worried that I was on a downhill path and turned to Mike Palmer for help on the recommendation of a friend whose daughter was in the school. Speaking with Mike Palmer increased my parents’ fears, leading them to believe that if they did not send me to VCA, I would probably die. In fact, he told them stories about girls who died after their parents decided against sending them to his school. My parents were so desperate to get me to this school that they tricked me into getting on the plane by telling me that we were going to look at boarding schools in California and Florida (which I was willing to consider), and that we were also going to visit Disney World.
My First Experiences at VCA
June 19, 1992 was the worst day of my life. When we got to VCA, we went into Mike Palmer’s office. He asked me right in front of my parents whether I was a druggie and a slut. I felt violated, but responded that I had tried drugs and that I had been raped a few months earlier. I don’t know why I decided to have a tell-all right then. I hadn’t told my parents or anyone. He said that with the crowd I had been hanging out with, he wasn’t surprised, as though it was my fault. He knew nothing about the crowd I hung out with. Then he informed me that my parents had enrolled me in the school. With that, I was taken by two “helpers,” age 15 and 17 to take a shower. When I was in the shower, they took my clothes and gave me horrible thrift-store rags to wear. None of the clothing I had brought was acceptable under VCA rules. I had mostly jeans and T-shirts. They told me that it was a sin for women to wear pants or anything above the knee. They took all of my jewelry because friends had given them to me. They told me to forget about my friends at home. I would not be allowed to talk to them at all, or even be allowed to talk about them. I never saw my best friend ever again. I never got to say goodbye. It still brings tears to my eyes as I write this. She moved away a few months after I left Hawaii. Palmer told my parents to throw away anything relating to old friends, so when I finally got home, there was no way to find her.
This place was so foreign to me, with all its rules and people my own age telling me what to do. Right away, I was told a series of rules, mostly words I wasn’t allowed to say, including: yeah, pants and cool. We were not allowed to talk about our problems, which was exactly what I needed to do at that time in my life. We were not allowed to talk about anyone outside the school besides our immediate family. We weren’t even allowed to talk about famous people. There were also rules that said I couldn’t talk to or look at certain girls. There were only two people in a dorm of about twenty to whom I could speak. I cried the whole first weekend I was there, and was given no sympathy by the staff. Some girls that I wasn’t allowed to talk to would look at me with pity, but the girls I was allowed to talk to just sort of brushed me off.
I had been a vegetarian for a few years, and was forced to eat meat my first day. I either had to eat what was in front of me or let it sit in the refrigerator until I ate it all. I ate the same gross meat for three days, which is probably a health code violation. A few times that I was there, a new girl would be forced to eat such a large amount of food that she would throw up. I’ve seen Palmer catch a girl’s vomit and shove it into her face.
Church was the most shocking part of my first few days. There was a lot of yelling and Palmer would bang his Bible on the pulpit. He would single girls out that he thought were “wolves” (as opposed to “sheep”) and humiliate them. He would call certain girls whores and tell personal stories about them, such as instances in which a girl was raped. He would make it clear that she was to blame for what happened to her. He would ask a girl if she had a boyfriend and if she said yes, he would say that her boyfriend didn’t love her and that he was only using her for sex. He would keep saying it even if she cried, and he would make fun of her for crying. I’ve seen Palmer throw hymn books at girls and hit girls over the head with his Bible. I’ve seen him yell in a girl’s face so that he was spitting on her. I’ve seen him sit girls up in the front of chapel facing the congregation and humiliate her. Palmer is a horrible man. He gets a thrill out of power-trips and hurting people. I’d read the Bible, and I could see no correlation between Jesus' principles and Palmer’s principles.
Daily Routine
Most of each day revolved around the Bible. Here is the schedule for Monday through Thursday as I remember:
The total time each day for Bible-related activities is at least 330 minutes, unless you count “school” in which we “learned” from the Accelerated Christian Education program, then Bible time is at least 430 minutes per day. Sometimes, evening chapel lasted well beyond 9:00 p.m., until as late as midnight. On those days, there would be over 600 minutes spent on Bible indoctrination. Meanwhile, girls were afforded only a maximum of 255 minutes of time in which speaking was allowed. However, most girls had jobs to perform during the times in which speaking was allowed, so some girls were afforded no speaking time at all.6:00am Wake up/pray
6:05-6:30 Brush teeth/get ready
6:30-6:45 Read Bible
6:45-7:00 Devotion (Bible lesson by another student)
7:00-7:15 Share “blessings,” then form group circle: sing Christian song, recite Bible verse, pray
7:15-7:30 Breakfast
7:30-8:30 Clean up/free time (ALLOWED TO TALK)
8:30-9:30 Chapel
9:30-11:15 School
11:15-11:45 Exercises
11:45-1:00 School
1:00-1:25 Prepare lunch/free time (ALLOWED TO TALK)
1:25-1:30 Share blessings/circle: sing song, recite Bible verse, pray
1:30-1:45 Lunch
1:45-3:00 Chores/free time (ALLOWED TO TALK)
3:00-4:00 Bible Memo (Bible lesson by staff)
4:00-4:30 Read Bible
4:30-5:00 Quiet free time
5:00-5:50 Free time/chores (ALLOWED TO TALK)
5:50-6:00 Share blessings/circle: sing song, recite Bible verse, pray
6:00-6:15 Dinner
6:15-7:00 Free time/chores (ALLOWED TO TALK)
7:00-9:00+ Chapel - TBA Bedtime
Friday, we had quiet time the entire day. Then at 5 p.m. we started our Friday night. We didn’t have to go to chapel. We usually had a pretty good meal and candy. Then we usually watched a movie. The only movies we were allowed to watch were Disney movies and movies about Jesus. We watched a movie once about another school like ours. I think it was about one of the Straight programs. I think it was supposed to teach us that we weren’t so bad off after all, but it seemed exactly the same, except we had a fundamental Baptist theme.
Saturday was a day of chores. There were chores every day, but all of Saturday was spent doing chores. We didn’t have dinner on Saturday. Then we had chapel in the evening. Sunday was a full day of quiet time. It was the only day we got to drink real milk instead of powdered milk. It was church day. We went twice. In between, we had lunch and a four-hour period in which we had to stay on our beds. Sunday night was when there would be “rap” sessions, in which the staff and helpers would criticize different girls for everything from being annoying to being a phony Christian.
School
The Accelerated Christian Education program is a useless go-at-your-own-pace learning system. There are 12 paces for each subject for each year. So ideally, a student finishes 60 paces each year. Each pace is about 20-40 pages long, and consists of a few paragraphs of information followed by a few questions about the information, then more paragraphs and questions, and so on. The answers to the questions are found verbatim in the preceding paragraph. In each pace, the student is required to memorize a Bible verse. There is also a cartoon throughout each pace in which Ace, the main character throughout the PACE series, and his friends learn a lesson about Bible values.
At the end of each pace is a three-page “test.” The “teacher” (I use that term loosely, since they are not licensed or even college graduates) tapes the pace together except for the test portion so you can’t look at the information inside the book. Honestly, if someone needed to look back to pass the test, they probably have some sort of learning disability that should be addressed. The questions on the test are the exact same questions from the problems in the pace. Nothing is taught in any subject which may contradict the Bible. Since the program was so easy, I was able to graduate when I was sixteen-and-a-half, then had to stay and take extra courses until just after my 17th birthday. I was valedictorian, which, for all practical purposes, is unimpressive. Extracurricular activities at VCA include: nothing. I was into track, cross-country, and soccer before VCA.
Complaints
My biggest complaint about VCA is the emotional abuse. Examples:
- I was told my parents were going to go to hell since they are Catholic and that it was my job to make sure they “got saved.”
- I was forced to watch videos about “the rapture,” in which non-Christians and non-fundamentals were portrayed as evil Satan-worshippers and were ultimately sent to burn in hell after all the Christians were taken to heaven. Even people who thought they were saved had been wrong and were left behind. It made me seriously question whether I was saved or not. I tried to get re-saved almost every single day I was at VCA and for months after I left. I had nightmares about hell every night.
- I was forced to listen to “fire-and-brimstone” preaching. I was called a whore and a druggie. I was repeatedly told that I was a bad person. I was criticized for being too smart.
- I was not allowed to speak for weeks at a time.
- I was forced to eat meat when I was a vegetarian.
- I was forced to eat large portions of food, or risk being force-fed.
- For punishment, I was deprived of food and made to sit and watch others eat.
- I was given lines to write for violating rules that didn’t exist or were unknown to me. For example, I was given 1000 lines to write for accidentally throwing away an elastic cord that was there to hold a trash bag in the trash can. I didn’t know the cord was there. I just lifted the trash bag, and the cord went in with the trash. By the way, 1000 lines are nearly impossible to write in the allotted 24-hour period. If you don’t finish them on time, they double. This happened to me. My lines doubled and doubled until they reached about 10,000 and I was placed in “detention.” When you are in detention, all you do all day is sit and write your lines. You are not allowed to talk, your food portion is cut in half, and you don’t get dessert. They take away any stuffed animals and pictures of your family. You are also not allowed to participate in Friday night activities. Instead of watching a movie and eating a good meal, you have to sit with the other people in detention, or people who got more than 14 demerits that week, and you write lines. I was in detention a month that time.
I had no access to a telephone. I also had limited access to communication with my parents, period. The staff read all incoming and outgoing mail. If a girl tried to tell her parents about something going on in the school, the staff would either throw the letter away of black out parts they didn’t want the parent to see. The staff also blacked out things from our parents that they didn’t want us to read. We were not allowed to write letters to friends or other unapproved family members. My parents told me that the staff would write notes in the margins if I tried to report instances of abuse or bizarre rituals. They would write that I was lying and trying to manipulate them. My parents feel that they were coached into thinking I was lying about everything. They believed the staff so much that every time the staff said I wasn’t ready to come home, my parents made me stay longer. I stayed three years in all.
When I left, the staff tried to convince my parents to make me stay for even longer. They said I wasn’t ready to go home yet. I thought I would never leave. I told my parents I would kill myself if I had to stay any longer. I was completely serious. There was a picture board at the school that showed how long each girl had been there. They saw that I had been there about two years longer than everyone else there and finally decided to take me home.
Sometimes, when a girl complained in a letter to her parents, Palmer would bring the letter to chapel and read it to everyone. Then the girl would be ridiculed, and other girls were encouraged to participate in humiliating her. Girls who did not accept the Palmer’s form of Christianity were denied privileges until they caved in and either succumbed to the brainwashing or faked it for the sake of survival.
If girls in the school became best friends, they were put on “separation” in which they were not allowed to talk to one another, look at one another, or even talk about one another. I was put on separation from approximately ten girls in my three-year stay for no other reason than being best friends with a girl. You can imagine how adept my social skills were after I left VCA.
We were not allowed to touch in any way, except while holding hands in a prayer circle. No tapping a shoulder, no hugging a sad friend, no friendly pat on the back. If you accidentally touched someone, you would be given a demerit - 500 lines that would say, “I will not touch girls,” or a Bible verse relating to homosexuality. I still flinch a bit when someone so much as taps me on the shoulder. After all, it was three years that I lived with this rule. Some girls were sent to the school to be “cured” of homosexuality. These girls would be called “queers” and “dikes” by Palmer in chapel. He would preach about how they were an abomination to the Lord. It was extremely cruel.
Racist language was used all the time. I’ve heard the following in chapel: nigger, beaner, chink, jap, towel-head, and sand-nigger. We had girls at the school who were Black, Mexican, Asian, Indian, Persian, Hawaiian, and others. Some staff let their beliefs be known that God did not approve of interracial relationships even though we had girls there who were biracial.
When I had been at VCA for two years (I was 15), I had a relationship with a girl who was 18 and a staff member (she had been a student before turning 18 and was sent to the school by her parents to cure her of homosexuality). I wasn’t a homosexual, but I think I needed some sort of affection after going so long without it. A girl in the school found out about it and told Mrs. Palmer. The staff member was fired, but was rehired after I graduated. The staff never told my parents, and I believe the reason they didn’t was because of liability issues. They made me feel like they were doing me a favor by not telling my parents, and that my parents would be completely disgusted with me if they found out. I never told anyone what happened until just a few months ago. The staff member no longer works at VCA. Her parents now run the school - the Cookstons.
About Rebecca Ramirez
When I had been at VCA for about four or five months, Palmer began acting very strangely. He lost about fifty pounds and started preaching almost every single day in chapel (usually, the male staff took turns). All of Palmer’s “sermons” were about love and romance. He preached from Song of Solomon and Esther. He spent two days describing what Esther looked like. The weird thing about that is that he described Rebecca Ramirez while looking right at her. He even described her body, which was creepy. He also called Rebecca into his office a lot and she stayed for long periods of time. Rebecca is a gifted piano player; Palmer would sit and watch her play for hours.
Around November of 1992, Rebecca was put back on buddy by Patty Palmer. Mike Palmer put her back at helper right after, and Patty left for about a week. She came back when Rebecca left. Then Palmer left. He was gone for about six months. We weren’t supposed to talk about what happened, but I found out from staff and helpers that Patty Palmer accused Rebecca of seducing Mike Palmer, which was ridiculous because he is absolutely disgusting. She blamed Palmer’s strange behavior on his drastic weight loss. It was obvious that it was he who was sickly enthralled with her.
With the dynamic of school, there would be no way out for Rebecca. His authority at the school was so absolute that I thanked God it wasn’t me. There would have been no one to tell, nothing to do; it would have been hell. It was hell for Rebecca. All the staff knew what happened, and no one did a thing. They all blamed Rebecca even though she was only about 15 or 16 and he was over 50. It was absolutely sick.
A couple of years later, some investigators from some department came to talk to girls in the school. We were told beforehand that they would be coming, and that they would tell what we said. They said we better not try to manipulate them by telling lies about the school. But I knew what that meant: We better not tell the truth about the school. When the investigators came in, they shook hands with the staff and it seemed like they knew each other. When I was called in, they said I should be honest, but I did not believe that for a minute. They asked if there was abuse, and I think they asked questions relating to Rebecca, but I just lied. I said, “Nope, no abuse here. I love this place.” I was not going to make my life more miserable, and I was not going to blow my chances of going home.
Life after VCA
I feel that this school was so emotionally devastating to me that it’s like a piece of me died there–the part of me that was still a child. I was emotionally damaged when I got there. I had the pain of being abandoned and rejected by my biological parents, the pain and humiliation of being raped, and then the pain of being abandoned and rejected again by my adoptive parents. As if I didn’t have enough emotional baggage on my plate, I had to be told every day how worthless I was and how all these things that had happened to me were my own fault.
I don’t want any girl to have to go through what I did. Yet, there are dozens of girls there right now. They’re being berated and humiliated. They’re being told they are worthless. They are being told they will go to hell. They are being told their parents will go to hell. They’re being held in a get-right room. They’re being fed their own vomit. They’re being denied access to medical care. Who knows? Maybe a girl is being sexually abused right now. You have no reason to know. The State of Florida has no reason to know. VCA is not regulated by the state. It is regulated by Florida Association of Christian Child-Caring Agencies (FACCCA). Palmer is FACCCA’s Vice President, which amounts to a clear conflict of interest. While I was at VCA for three years, no one from FACCCA ever came to check things out. FACCCA members may have come to visit their friends, the Palmers, but not to inspect the school. Even so, if someone had come and asked me whether everything was okay, you’d better believe I would have kept my mouth shut. My life at VCA was miserable. There was no way I would make it worse.
I have so many more stories, but cannot record them all in this statement. I could tell you about ten-year-olds who had to write thousands of lines. I could tell you about new girls being beaten up by several helpers and staff members at a time. I could tell you about all the girls I know who are emotionally broken–drug addicts, prostitutes, convicted criminals, mentally insane–because of VCA. I will do anything I can to get this school shut down, and at the very least subject it to state regulation. I hope anyone who reads my statement and the dozens of other VCA survivor statements will join me in this fight.
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