She was only 11. And that’s when she finally told. For five years she was trapped in the house with her molester. Her mother didn’t believe her. Would a Fayette County jury?

It was September 24, 2007. The trial was about to start. This would be the toughest part of all. Worse than having to tell her mother that the man she had married was a molester. Worse than the pelvic exam. Worse than having to leave her school to move to a safer place.

You see, he would be there. He had a lawyer who would try to make her look like a liar. There were other adults who would call her a liar. One of those would be her mother.

There was no witness who saw him molest her. There seldom is. There was no DNA evidence to prove his guilt. In 80 percent of child molestation cases there is no physical evidence. Since he didn’t penetrate her genitals, there was no injury to report. Her injuries were the kind you can’t see—the robbery of childhood innocence and dignity and self-respect. That type of brokenness won’t show up on an x-ray.

She walked into the courtroom. She faced twelve strangers in the jury box. She told all of the repulsive details. And she stood up and pointed right at her step-father and boldly declared that he did those things to her in her own house. Then she left the courtroom and waited.

Would a Fayette County jury believe her? On September 27, 2007 she got her answer. “In the matter of State of Georgia versus Robert Wayne Fogerty, we the jury find the defendant guilty as charged.” Judge Paschal English sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

She’ll be old enough to protect herself when he gets out. But will she ever recover from those invisible injuries?