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May 26, 2010

Jennifer Schuett was 8 years old when she was kidnapped, raped, had her throat cut and was left for dead. She has spent the last 20 years dedicated to finding her attacker, reports NBC's Today.

In 1990, Schuett was abducted from her mother's apartment by a then unknown male. She was found in a field by a group of children and was rushed to the hospital. She was told that she would never speak again because her voice box had been slashed, according to the news source. She began speaking only a few days later, refusing to let her attacker win.

Thanks to the advances in DNA technology, investigators were able to use a very small sample that was collected in 1990 to help determine who the attacker was. Luckily for the investigators and Schuett, her attacker was already listed in the FBI database for previous crimes.

Schuett has resumed her life but frequently visits the field where she was found. She had some words for her attacker and for other victims.

She wanted, "To show him how strong I am and to show other victims that no matter what obstacles you come across or how long you have to wait, that as long as you're strong and determined you can get the justice that you want," she told the news program.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that 58,000 children were abducted by a non-family member in 2002, the last year for which data is available. They also noted that 76.2 percent of abducted children are killed within three hours of their abduction.

The National Center for Victims of Crime provides several resources for victims. The organization can connect survivors with services in their area to help with their recovery process. They also help victims navigate the criminal justice process.

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