If children find the courage to speak,
adults must listen and respond.
"Can't help wondering...what you think about child abuse?" I said to a young [almost 12 she reminds me!] friend. I invited her to share her story with you. Here is her response:
IN HER OWN WORDS; FROM HER OWN HAND:
When I was a baby life was good I lived in an apartment next door to my aunt, great grandmother & grand mother, but some time after this perfect life they all helped take care of me about a year later my brother comes along we ended up in a place called Foster Home for children whose parents did or have some kind of problems. My little brother was only in 1 or 2 homes and it only cost about a thousand to get him out but as for me I was in so many homes I cant keep track of. One home I was in I hated was with two people ... & ... the woman was nice but her husband ... was so mean like if there was a food I did not like he would shove it down my thought and if I vomit I would have to stand in the corner for a half an hour he would also try to get me to drink beer and smack me around. If did not listen the first time he told me to do something he would make me sit by the TV while my favorite cartoon was on facing the corner for 1 hole hour and I said if he ever did something like that to my brother I will do something about it. They lost their license and were not able to be Foster Parents anymore. The next family was nice and 1 thing I did not like was the cereal she bought was Fruity Pebbles and I hated them. there is one more Family left I remember they were my favorite because I always wanted a sister and I got one my age she was pretty funny kind and had good scene of style. we lived on a farm the very first time I lived on a farm, but I never got board! My life is was and is probably going to be miserable and all bad luck. then the last place was not a home it was sort of like a school except you can live there for how long they put you there for. I was there for 30 days I think see I barely know where I was for some part of my life it feels like a puzzle with a lot of pieces missing. If I could find these pieces I would be put them together. Then after I got out for my brother and my birthday on Christmas. All my moms' side of the family was there and it was great. We got lots of presents and then we lived there for a little while and moved to a place called Cherry Ridge in Northern Cambria. We lived there in an apartment for about 2 years, then things went wrong I was staying over my aunt & uncles house across the street in another apartment. That next morning my mom came running in saying ... get up my apartment is on fire my brother … got a hold of a liter and caught the apartment on fire and there was a lot of damage done so we got kicked out. So we moved again to a place in … and it was called Cherry Tree. We moved into a falling apart trailer and it was beside 2 other trailers. I really don’t know how long we lived there and guess what we did? We had moved again to a place in a small town called Lilly and that is still where I live in an old brick house I hate. My dad use to beat my bottom and ground me. I have barely any friends, fun, or as my parents call it free time. I stay over my gramothers house on some weekends or some times my best friends my only friend's house sometimes in the summer or weekends when there is no school. It’s a bad life to me getting in fights for stuff I never did being picked on is one thing then trying to stick up for myself but get in trouble for trying, I hate school so much but things wont change. I keep trying to tell my mom I want to transfer but she wont let me. I hate my whole life!!!!!!
I don't think I can say anything better than my young friend has done that would help you understand the effects of child abuse and neglect. I know more of her heart-rending story, but it is her story and she will share it when she chooses to. In the meantime, please pray for her, and every child like her. The shame is ours that there's so little else we can do to help.
A child is waiting in silence. Give each child a voice when you can.
Take care...be aware,
Nancy Lee
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2 comments:
Hurray for your almost 12 year old friend for having enough trust in you to speak about her situation. It is scarey for anyone in an abusive situation to speak out about what occurs, but for a child it is like a nightmare. Give your friend a hug next time you see her and tell her I think she is very brave.
and now i'm 18..i've been looking for this for years, the story goes on and on since then and is still pretty bad but i'm trying super hard because i realized life isn't easy and i will do anything for my children's lives to be better than what i had:)
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