2010 Annual Report - This is Hagar

6
7
My Life in Pieces
Vattanak’s Story
the only one. And I want other boys like me to know there
is a place for them. I want them to know that they can be
free. There is still hope for boys like me.
He said he wanted to be my father. And I believed him.
To me, he was perfect. He gave us food and money. They
were things the two fathers before him never gave me.
He gave me nice clothes and invited me to live with him.
He even took me on trips around the world. I was special.
And I loved him like he was my real dad.
But he started to abuse me. He made me do bad things
with him every day. It was so painful.
But I couldn’t tell anyone. I was too scared of what they
would say. The police found out about him after two
years. They arrested him and sentenced him to jail for a
long time. I went to Hagar.
I was so quiet when I arrived at the shelter. Confused.
Disturbed. So many things were swirling through my
head. I still cared for my father. I didn’t want to believe
that he had done anything bad to me. The other kids
called me names. But my house mother and counselors
helped me. They helped me see that I am not the only
one. There are other boys like me. And it’s not our fault.
It’s been many months now and I am seeing now that I
was abused by a stranger who called himself my dad. I
still feel angry. Betrayed. But I remember that I am not