Susie’s Story

“Susie” initially contacted the Outreach Program about getting a divorce from her husband. She was so afraid of him and declined an offer for a Temporary Protective Order, fearing that would only make worse matters worse. She didn’t contest anything in the divorce and just hoped he would finally leave her and their 9-year-old triplets alone.

We didn’t hear from Susie for about a year. This time, she called the Shelter, saying to her now ex-husband, the divorce was just a piece of paper and the beatings and sexual torture had continued. She and the children came into the Shelter for three months. While in the shelter, the Case Managers noticed something strange about Susie, but couldn’t pin anything down. She was very quiet and her children were well behaved.

When the family left the shelter and moved into a new apartment, we didn’t hear anything from them. Then Susie started calling the Outreach Program Advocate she had initially worked with. This time, she revealed that not only was her ex-husband still abusing her, but her own mother as well. Over the course of about six months, it came out that Susie’s mother had physically, verbally, emotionally, and sexually abused her since she was about five years old. The Advocate found a therapist who agreed to see Susie and the children at no charge. The therapist concluded what the Shelter staff had not been able to recognize and that was Susie suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder. While in the Shelter, Susie had a dominate personality that cared for the children and went to work every day. Under stress, she reverted to a child-like personality called Baby. A third personality was a wild, hard drinking party girl who walked the streets at night. The therapist said such a disorder usually results from early extensive childhood trauma and the core personality develops other personalities to help cope with the abuse.

Susie rejected all assistance from law enforcement to have charges brought against her mother and ex-husband, fearing the repercussions would be too severe. It has taken several years of intensive therapy but now Susie is almost healed. The splinter personalities are slowly being absorbed into the core personality and only occasionally, when under stress, do they come out. Her ex-husband eventually moved to Alaska to work in the oil fields. Susie’s core personality, now stronger and more confident, threatened to tell other family members about her mother and eventually the abusebthere stopped.

Her triplets are now in high school and doing well. Susie has found a new romantic partner, a woman, and soon they will all be leaving Georgia to start a new life in another state. Susie is a remarkable person who has endured horrific abuse from the very people in her life who were supposed to protect and love her. She laughs now and is looking forward to her new life.