“When I was four years old one of my parents’ dreams became true. They were approved for a permanent resident card to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic. However, my paperwork was not ready at the same time as theirs, so I had to stay behind with my uncle and his family.

As a young child, I played the “mom and dad game” with my cousins. I was fondled by males ages eight to thirteen before I was reunited with my mother. To my surprise when I arrived in Puerto Rico, my parents were divorced. To make ends meet, my mother had to work very early and return home late. As a result, I became a latchkey child at the age of six. [Read more…]