This was the first class of its kind that was done at Victim Services in Johnstown, Cambria County. Women of all ages who were sexually abused share their story by painting.

Graduate inter, Mona Wiley finds painting as a form of healing.

"For an hour they would paint together, and then they would discuss for about a half hour what they actually saw," says Wiley.

Wiley wanted to do something that was more meaningful for her internship. She contacted the Supervisor of Direct Services, Erika Jugan who is with Victim Services in Johnstown, and began working with sexually abused women in an Adult Survivor Group.

One of the techniques they wanted the women to use in order to show their emotions was to paint on how they feel on the inside and paint how others perceive them on the outside.

"What we found then was then when women would paint what was on the inside, to get to see that true expression that raw emotion the pain that they have from the abuse it really was overwhelming it blew us both away," says Jugan.

This 5-week class also made them see how survivors are opening up more, thanks in part to the increase of abuse victims coming forward, due to the Jerry Sandusky Scandal.

"For somebody to hear another person saying this happened to me and now they're able to come forward a little easier-- not that it's ever easy but they may be able to take that step that they need and say that happened to me too," says Jugan.

Due to the success of the class, Victim Services hope to offer it again and eventually incorporate children who have also been sexually abuse.