After being sexually raped at the age of eight, being arrested four times, and losing her will to live, one lady discovered her stars.

Jessica Compton has surmounted numerous obstacles to get to where she is today: an education worker in Hamilton who runs her own program that promotes mental health through storytelling, journal writing, live music, and meditation. Compton, 44, was only eight years old when a guy stormed into her family's home at 2 a.m., dragged her out of bed, led her to his car, and sexually raped her.

The assault's anguish took its toll. Compton, who was born and reared in North Bay, Ont., was discovered emaciated by police, along with her sister, who was living with their mother at the time. Both children were taken from their mother, who had been drinking and using drugs, by the Children's Aid Society. CAS later returned them to their father's custody.

Compton claims she was placed in various foster homes and was abused twice while in the system. Compton began smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, and using marijuana when he was 12 years old. She ignited a fire when she was 15, destroying some telecommunications equipment in North Bay. She was arrested and imprisoned one of four times she was imprisoned.

Compton also claimed to have assaulted a police officer, stolen a car, used drugs, and fled from detention. "It was simply this recurring pattern of living on the streets and sofa hopping," she explained. "Back in the day, the Salvation Army never used to lock, and I would go in there at 10 p.m. and sleep on the clothes, and go into Tim Hortons waste bins."

'When you chuck your doughnuts, can you just not dump the ashtrays from the restaurant so I can eat the doughnuts?' I'd beg. He'd be courteous about it, and he'd open the back door instead of throwing it in the garbage anymore.

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