Association for a More Just Society (AJS)

A Star Survivor

Gabriel doesn't let his painful past get in the way of his dreams for the future. And with the help of AJS-supported justice workers, he will see justice done.

Thanks to the intervention of AJS-supported justice workers, Gabriel's abuser is being held accountable for his actions and prevented from victimizing other youths.

Gabriel’s* parents were very worried when he didn’t return the next day from an overnight church youth group outing with his youth group leader. After calling other parents they were stunned to hear that no youth event had ever been organized. When Gabriel finally returned home, police officers arrested his youth group leader for kidnapping a minor, but released him later that same day. It was only the next morning that Gabriel revealed the awful truth to his parents.

For two years, Gabriel’s youth group leader had been sexually abusing him. As a 12-year old, Gabriel was submitted to weekly acts of abuse and forced by his abuser to constantly lie and steal under threat that his parents would be killed if he ever told anyone.

For two years, he had been forced to live a lie.

For Gabriel, the road to healing seemed very long. His fellow church members turned their backs on him and his parents didn’t know how to talk to Gabriel about the awful nightmare he had suffered. They decided to seek help for their son at an AJS-supported Gideon Center, a place that provides legal and psychological services to poor Hondurans right in their neighborhood. Immediately, Gabriel received psychological counseling while an AJS-supported lawyer and investigator began investigating the suspected youth group leader. Twelve months later, thanks to the efforts of both of these justice workers, the suspected man was arrested on child sexual abuse charges.

One year ago, AJS began supporting a new project called Rescate – meaning “rescue “ –to support the specific needs of child and adolescents survivors of sexual abuse like Gabriel. Gabriel and his family committed to participate in a two-year recovery plan with Ixchel (“Ee-chel”), the Rescate project psychologist who began working with Gabriel every week. Ixchel takes her profession seriously, but knows her work is not to create dependence on treatment or herself. Gabriel would have to arrive at a new understanding of himself and the trauma that gripped him.

A breakthrough happened when Gabriel took Ixchel to the place where his abuser habitually abused him. It was a liberating experience, recalls Ixchel. “He was burdened with this for so long. Sharing this burden with me let him see that he wasn’t alone anymore in his pain, and that helped him move forward,” comments Ixchel. “You can’t erase trauma, but you can create a different memory of it. This new outlook helps bring people to a new emotional stability.”

Ixchel proudly states that Gabriel doesn’t let his painful past get in the way of his dreams for the future. He has continued studying and he hopes to graduate from high school in 3 years with a focus in tourism industry studies. “Gabriel is very resilient, a good communicator, and sincere. He has a lot of self-value and defends himself in the midst of criticism. He’s actually my star survivor,” Ixchel shares with a wide smile.

Luis, an AJS-supported lawyer who has been investigating Gabriel’s abuser, says he has a case with strong evidence against the arrested youth group leader – a man who is now suspected of being a repeated child sex offender within the church and who will likely receive the maximum penalty. “The first time it took Gabriel almost 2 hours to make his statement and now he does it more calmly and with self-assurance in 15 minutes. Gabriel himself tells me he is ready to testify,“ says Luis.

With the support of Luis and Ixchel, Gabriel will see justice done and continue his road toward healing and a new future. Please pray for peace and wisdom for Gabriel and the Rescate team as they prepare to go to trial next month.

August 27, 2009 Update: Abuser Convicted

On Thursday, August 27, 2009, the man who abused Gabriel, Oscar Flores, was found guilty. He faces 9 to 13 years of incarceration. During the trial, Gabriel, his father, AJS psychologist Karla Ixchel, and a government psychologist all were able to give clear testimony—and all of their stories lined up. Testifying about the years of abuse he endured was a particularly intense experience for Gabriel, who broke into tears several times during the hour-and-a-half cross-examination. But afterwards, he told Karla he felt that a burden had been lifted.

This trial was also the first time Karla, who joined AJS’s Rescue project last fall, had ever testified in a court. “I was nervous beforehand, but it went well,” she said. “Winning this case means a lot to me personally, since I’ve been working closely with Gabriel ever since I joined the Rescue team.”

Please join us in giving thanks and in praying that God will continue to work in the lives of each of the people who were involved in this trial.

*Name changed and photo blurred to protect individual's privacy and security.

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