The daughter of immigrants, I was born in New York City and raised in the Bronx. I spent more than 20 years as a personal injury attorney in New York and Pennsylvania.
During what turned out to be the final years of my practice, I became involved with poverty law. I had the privilege of co-founding and leading what was the predecessor of today’s Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia (CLCP), a volunteer organization serving the poor.
I blog on abuse-related issues on the website you are currently visiting. I write at greater length on social, political, and religious issues on my other blog A Lawyer’s Prayers https://alawyersprayers.com.
I can recommend these child-oriented organizations to you: the Support Center for Child Advocates; Prevent Child Abuse/New York; and the Children’s Aid Society. The International Justice Mission and the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), also, do valuable work.
Since resources are always scarce, please, consider donating, if you can. Many thanks!
Other than the history with CLCP, I have no affiliation with these organizations and will not benefit monetarily, should you choose to give.
Copyright © 2001-2023 Anna Waldherr. All rights reserved.
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
Thank you for stopping by our site and leaving a note of kind words. May God’s peace and blessing be with you and the ministry he has called you to.
Godspeed,
TSS
II TIM 2:3
Thank you for using your experiences to speak out and up about child sexual abuse. I only wish I was as eloquent as you. I am sorry you went through what happened to you, and perhaps the reason for this is so that you could be a “voice” for those who are unable to speak out.
Thank you for your kindness, Marie, and for your compliment on my writing. Though I rarely feel eloquent, I do believe God is using my past experiences exactly as you say. Blessings, A.
Anna, the compliment is well-deserved. I am so glad that I discovered your blog, because it is therapy for me. You say things in a way that I feel, but cannot articulate as eloquently as you. I do believe God is using your past experiences to help others like myself. I only wish all of us women (and men!) could set up some sort of universal support group where we could link with each other and ultimately heal ourselves. Till then we have blogging sites like yours (and others) which are so compassionate and therapeutic. Blessings, M
Thank you, Marie. Your high opinion means a great deal to me. I will try my best to live up to it. May God continue His healing work in your life. Blessings, A.
I do feel our burdens are to lead us home to loving ourselves. Our purpose, I believe, lies in overcoming them, combining what we’ve learned with our gifts and helping others with the same issues. Good work you’ve done and continue to do!
Thank you for your kind wishes.
What a wonderful blog you have and thank you so much also for being such a staunch advocate for children who have been preyed upon. I wasn’t sexually abused as a child but I was raped as a 16-year old virgin so I do have a little bit of knowledge of what it is like to be sexually victimized. If perhaps you ever have the time or even want to, you can check out my two posts about that traumatic time in my life. https://jeneanebehmeswritings.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/stolen/
The above comment poster, christinadrh, is right in that the burdens we have faced in our lives can lead us home to loving ourselves. It is a difficult journey home but it can be done. I also believe that that journey can make us stronger and more compassionate in our healing process as well. And you are proof of that yourself 🙂
Thank you for your generous compliments. I agree that there is a great deal of overlap, as far as rape and child abuse. In both situations, the victim is powerless yet often plagued by guilt — sometimes for decades. You sound as if you have made an outstanding recovery. I will be certain to check out your posts!
Blessings,
A. ❤
Thank you sweetie 🙂
My Dear Anna, though I have visited Your site many times, only today did I come to Your page: Bio. What a Wonderful Person You are! All the Best, Love and Regards, and a Happy Christmas to You! 🙂
You give me far too much credit, but thank you, Swami. All the best, love and regards, and a Happy Christmas to you! 🙂
You Fully Deserve all that I have said, and more, my Dear Anna! Love. 🙂
Very, very thought provoking blog
Thank you for visiting.
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What an amazing person you are! Your blog is very thoughtful and I am so lucky to have found your site!
You are very kind, Nithya. Visit anytime! Too bad you can’t bring some of your amazing dishes w/ you, as I am a terrible cook. 🙂
Such a great blog on such a sensitive subject! 🙂 JT x
Thanks so much! 🙂
Anna, it’s been good to visit your blog and read some of your writing. It makes for great reading though it seems to be built on bad things that happened to you. I’m glad to know that you are a survivor. I guess when I think about, I suffered abuse of a different kind and would like to say that I see myself as a survivor. I like to believe that we can rise above our circumstances and contexts into which we have been born into. You seem to have done this very capably. However, many are not so strong and fall by the wayside. I have yet to read much more of your work, but it appears to me that you lend a helping hand to those who are not as strong. Thank you for that. Chevvy.😀
Thank you for stopping by, Chevvy. Abuse of whatever sort is a devastating experience, all too often deadly. It leaves most w/ lifelong scars. It is a privilege to help others who’ve endured trials similar to my own. You’re right though. We do not all have the same strengths, just as we do not all have curly hair or perfect pitch. Each individual is unique. The extent of our recovery (or lack of recovery) is not a measure of our courage or our worth. My goal is simply to spread the message of God’s love, and the hope of a better day. ❤
I think it [is] a fine thing you are doing on your blog. Keep going Anna! 💐
Hi Anna, I was directed to your blog by Marie Williams. She’s become a really good friend. She’s a real sweetheart. I can’t say enough good things about her. She thought your experiences might help me with mine, so I am introducing myself. My name is Kathy, and it’s nice to meet you. I will be reading your blog and following it. I have a lot going on right now, so it may take me awhile to get to it
Good to meet you, Kathy. Yes, Marie is a wonderful woman and a dear friend. Glad she brought us together.
Me too. I haven’t really delved into your blog the way I want to, but I will be doing that as soon as I cam. It’s hard trying to write and read all your blog followers.
I think your page will be very helpful for me. Marie is so sweet.
Thank you for your visit! I love that you made a perceived weakness into a strength and driving force to help those who need. I talk about abuse of war and social imperialism, which are sadly, the voluntary educated responses. I punctuate my blog with some humor or sing-songs to offer lighter moments. Let’s stay in touch since we talk of abuse of one kind or another. Warm regards for your work!
You are doing a great job providing resources for those who need it the most!
I am glad I met you,
Dolly
Thank you, Dolly. That means so much to me. ❤
This is such a tragic topic, and so few people dare to bring it out in the open!
Evil thrives in the dark. We have to speak out.
Absolutely agree!
Congratulations for your actions, do not stay here 🙂 humanity really needs people who have their feet on the ground, who realize the priorities. The less abuse there is, the more our society will be able to balance itself
thank you
Thank you for your kind sentiments.
Anna, it’s been good to visit your blog and read something about you and your writing. Great effort with explanations. Take care !
I am so glad to hear of a lawyer using her skills for good and not just for money. May you continue to heal from past abuses and help other children.
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Thank you for this nomination. I do not often respond to awards. But I am deeply grateful to have considered worthy.
Anna dear friend, thank you for the many encouragements you have shared with me through the years! ❤ Me and God love you!
https://gaillovesgod.blog/2020/03/08/real-neat-blog-award-2-29-2020/
You are so kind, Gail. No thanks needed. It has been my pleasure. ❤
❤ 🙂
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Thank you so much for nominating me for the Fix Her Crown award, Gail. I am truly grateful! ❤
What a wonderful career you have had Anna. What a blessing you and your work have been for all those you served while working and co-founding what is now the CLCP. God bless you Anna for what you do and spreading the word for others. Love and blessings to you. Joni
You give me too much credit, Joni. It was a privilege working w/ the poor. Though I am extremely proud of having been involved w/ the legal clinic, there were other attorneys who did as much as I did to bring it into existence. That it has grown to its current size is due to God’s intervention. His hand was evident. Love and blessings to you, A.
What a blessing your blog is to those who have been abused, neglected and unable to defend themselves. I also want to thank you for visiting my blog and your most welcomed comments. I trust that our Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and your most informative blog in helping those individuals who cannot help themselves. May God bless you. Take care and keep safe.
His servant Mikey.
Thank you for the encouragement, Mikey. I very much enjoy your blog His Eternal Word https://hiseternalword.wordpress.com/ and recommend it to readers. I am sure God will keep His hand on your life, as well. Blessings, A.