Ideally, every person’s childhood would be filled with joy, learning, fun experiences, and a safe home environment. Unfortunately, that is not every child’s experience. In fact, in the U.S., it is estimated over 60,000 children are sexually abused yearly, and over 90% of the time the perpetrator is someone the child and their family know, love, and trust.
When I first met “M”, she was extremely emotional when she spoke about the abuse her daughter had faced throughout her young life. Her 9-year-old daughter had been sexually abused by her older half-brother in her room for years. The abuse ceased when a younger sister walked into her room during an abusive episode. Her older brother, the perpetrator, was now out of the house, in jail, and out of the picture. However, the little girl was terrified to be in her room alone, especially at night. She began sleeping with her parents, her grades dropped, and she stopped having friends over. She rarely ate and was beginning to regress regarding her speech and social skills. Because the abuse had gone on for so long and her brother had convinced her this was how he showed her love, she had lost her sense of self and self-worth. She began to harm herself to soothe. She felt she had no control/safety during her trauma and found control and safety with her self-harm behavior.
Fear and depression set in, and she insisted her family not decorate for Christmas that year. Her parents placed her into counseling where she began receiving trauma-informed therapy. She began to show signs of healing from the abuse over several sessions, but she still would not sleep in her room. It was then her counselor reached out to Room Redux. Because of confidentiality concerns, the counselor talked to the girl’s parents to obtain permission to speak to us. It was clear this girl (and her family) deserved a fresh start… A Room Transformation.
Because a child’s psyche begins with brain and neural development, disruptions such as neglect, and emotional, psychological, physical, verbal, and sexual abuse can result in significant consequences such as cognitive impairments. Children who have faced adverse childhood experiences (ACES) are more likely to suffer from eating disorders and physical ailments such as heart disease or diabetes, and poor academic and social achievement. Children who have been sexually or physically abused often have disruptive relationships as they emerge into adulthood. They may conduct self-harm or become perpetrators of abuse themselves.
Nationwide, the statistics are staggering. One billion children worldwide have experienced neglect, or physical, sexual, or emotional violence in the past year. This statistic is based only on the incidents that have been reported.
Familial and societal support can help shape the way the child feels about themselves. One of the goals of Room Redux is to show the child and their family the world is not always such a scary place – and that they are worthy and cared about by people who don’t even know them and expect nothing from them. Shame and guilt often engulf the life of a child who has faced abuse. To help them continue to heal, we must consistently and vigorously work to eliminate the humiliation and culpability they feel. We need to be able to change the trajectory of these children’s lives. Room Redux does this through Room Transformations. We receive referrals through counselors, psychologists, and agencies such as CPS, law enforcement, Guardians of the Children, and the FBI. This ensures an outcry of abuse has been heard, the perpetrator is out of the child’s life, and the child is in counseling, which is a crucial part of the healing puzzle.
Once a referral is made, we assess the child’s room when he or she is away from the house. We have an extensive list of questions we ask the parent or caregiver such as, “What are her favorite colors? What colors does she dislike?”; “What are his hobbies?”; “What would he like in his room… TV? Game system? Mini fridge?” We measure, take photos, and start to get a design plan together. We give the Room Transformation a name and then we shop! Room Redux relies on Room Transformation sponsors and donors. Like shopping? Check out each chapter’s Amazon Smile Wishlist! Room Transformation Day is the best! We get to the home when the child has either left for school, or the family has been sent on an outing. All volunteers have background checks and, regardless of their skill level, start transforming the child or children’s rooms. At the end of the day, we leave, and the child comes home to a brand-new room–their very own sanctuary. Every room is specifically designed for that individual child even down to the therapeutic tools we place in the room. We often paint or design murals, lay down new flooring, if necessary, add new decor, bedding, light fixtures, and furniture. Repositioning the furniture, especially the bed, has a profound effect on how the child feels in the room. Feedback has been consistently positive and has included the entire family’s views of feeling as if they have an advocate in Room Redux.
“M’s” daughter was overwhelmed with adoration of her new room. According to her mother, she now feels safe and loves to have friends over. She has slept in her own room every single night for the past three years. The family finally even decorated when Christmas came around.

If you have the heart to help children who have faced abuse, whether through donating, volunteering, or starting a chapter in your area, please visit RoomRedux.org or email volunteer@roomredux.org. As of the writing of this article, Room Redux has transformed 331 rooms and now serves children nationally and is working to expand globally. ❦

About the Author

Susie is currently a doctoral candidate working toward her PsyD. She was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Psychology) by UNRS. Susie holds the prestigious honor of being the L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth 2022 National Honoree and was also recognized as one of the San Antonio Business Journal’s Top Women in Business.
Susie has been a contributing writer for local publications and has served as a guest speaker for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, child protective service organizations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), law enforcement and taskforce conferences. She serves as an Ambassador for the 70/30 Wave Trust based in the UK and is proud to be an Advisory Board member for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as a member of Texas Women for Children.
These positions and experiences are all powerful forces when it comes to Susie’s expertise regarding child abuse victims and the importance of changing their environment to help them heal and break the cycle of abuse.

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