4/365 Days: I’m an Angela Shelton

In 2004, a woman left her house and her dog (well, not completely, I’m sure she left her dog with other responsible adults that cared for her needs) and went on the road with a small crew to film a documentary across America. She wanted to survey women; to see how we, as a gender, were doing and what we were up to. She met some amazing, inspiring, spectacular, successful, kick ass women and they were all named Angela Shelton. They all had a story, but a great deal of their stories had very similar themes as she moved from one to the next to the next. Their stories were also her stories. Their stories are my stories, and the stories of countless women, girls, men and boys all over the world.

Angela Shelton wanted to survey women in America who all just happened to share her name. She wanted her documentary to be light, airy, fun and hilarious, but it ended up being a documentary about not-so light, airy, fun, and definitely not hilarious issues. Angela found that most of the women she was able to talk to for her documentary had either been raped, beaten, or abused in their lifetime.

I heard about Angela Shelton through a forum I was active on quite a number of years ago. I saw her documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton, during the worst time in my life. I whole-heartedly believe that Angela Shelton, along with the fabulous volunteers for the RAINN hotline, saved my life.

I am a survivor of child abuse, childhood sexual assault and rape. I live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and major depressive disorder. I wear this shirt when I need to be reminded that I survived. That I am a survivor. And I am never going back.

Learn more about Angela Shelton at AngelaShelton.com, as well as the Angela Shelton Foundation, The Survivor Manual and join the Army of Angels.