Child Corruption: The story of Angel-Grace

(Original story is from: Father Shay Cullen, 2010)


This is the story of a Filipino girl, Angel-Grace, who one of many, represents millions around the world.

Angel-Grace was five years old, and was living in a poor family in Angeles City, a place known for encouraging sex tourism. Angeles city is a two hour travel from the North of Manila. The little girl was raped continuously by her step-father. This is not something rare; it is a common crime in every nation around the world. Most of these cases go unreported because young children are helplessly at the mercy of their tormentors. Angel-Grace kept silent for years until one day, she told her mother what was going on, but her mother called her a liar and warned her not to make up such stories as her step-father is the family’s source of money and food. After that, Angel-Grace decided to run away. She lived in the streets and joined other children she saw on the streets with similar stories. They roamed the streets as beggars, unwanted and rejected. When she turned eleven, she had no education, no self-confidence and saw no value in her life. She only lived by an instinct to be able to survive. Soon a woman saw her and offered her hamburgers, drinks and money and told her to go with foreign tourists and massage them. What Angel-Grace did not know is that the woman was actually a pimp in disguise. The woman taught her how and soon the child was into it. For two years Angel-Grace lived such a life with no thought of an alternative, once more enslaved of the vicious circle of poverty, despair, abuse and victimization that only leads to yet more poverty and despair. This was Angel-Grace’s life. this would be her future, always poor, always wanting and longing for something she never had – to be loved and to love free. Angel-Grace was lucky, however because PREDA, a children’s rights NGO, took her into its home for abused children. It is jam-packed with 56 victims of such abuse at any given time. They keep on coming – and PREDA’s the­rapists and counsellors keep on healing and helping them. Also, PREDA’s legal office keeps fighting legal battles. Angel-Grace, who was exposed to corruption, now knows that healing is possible thanks to PREDA’s therapies and counselling.