April is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month and it's important for each of us to play our part in helping those affected by this awful act inflicted upon so many.
This story is true, but has been embelished a little to protect the guilty and not so guilty. It sheds like on how easily people set themselves up or get set up for failure.
She says she loves you and you’re the best thing that has ever happened to her. She says you love her and you treat her well, but I’m unfazed by your six-figured salary, your Italian custom-made suit, the gated community you reside in and your high-priced car. I don’t care that you have flawless credit, the sexiness in your swagger, or the luminousness of your smile. None of that means a thing when you don’t know how to treat the woman you’re with and your reward to her is slapping her around for the slightest infraction of the rules you’ve laid down. She can swear up and down it was a one time deal; until the next time she’s bruised and hiding behind MAC makeup. I could care less that you can afford to fly her to Paradise Island on a whim and shower her with jewels to make it “better” and profess your love behind a sinister smile.
Personally, I think she’d be better off with someone who had less than the material things that made you that much more impressive to her than Average Joe. She’s a good woman though I’m starting to lose sight of the girl I once knew who loved to go out with her girls, get her hair/nails done, and sip martinis over girl talk. Now all I see is the shell of who she was; extra heavy make up and hear the plethora of reasons why she can’t hang out or talk on the phone; well unless she’s at work.
Friends and family of home girl, please find a way to intercede. I’ve tried talking to her and I know she hears me, but she won’t listen. She makes excuses for him and says it’s not so bad. She says it’s better than being with Average Joe and tries to convince me that he treats her well because he showers her with anything she wants. I challenge that by asking if he fulfills her needs. That’s an answer I never get. I recall the miscarriage after her got her drunk at a party and raped her because she told him she wasn’t feeling well as a result of the alcohol. Now she can’t have children because he took his time getting her to the doctor.
Mom, you should be ashamed of yourself because you have an inkling of what’s going on and you won’t do anything about it. You’re reaping the fruits of her beatings when he pays your bills and sends you on vacations. Is this the life you want for your baby girl? Are you so blinded by the benjamins that you can no longer see your child? Average Joe may not have been able to pay more than his share of the bills, or didn’t live in a gated community, but he sure as hell treated your daughter well. He gave her his love; real love, he respected her, and treated her as he equal; not his dog or servant. The sad thing is you’d be the first one protesting for his conviction if he ever enforced a fatal blow.
Dad, where were you when you’re daughter needed you while she was growing up? How come you’d rather spend your time and energy with your new family instead of excluding your daughter from it? Where were you when she needed those father-daughter talks? Sending a check every other week wasn’t enough; she needed you. She needed your guidance, your love, and your discipline. She needed that male figure that was supposed to have given her some insight as to what men could be like. You failed her miserably and then embraced Mr. Six-Figures when you met him purely by chance saying that at least someone else was taking care of her now. What? What kind of bullshit is that? You’re a silent contributor to her plight and you make me sick.
Mister Six-Figures that’s all you are. You’re a farce and a poor excuse for a man. A real man wouldn’t need to beat his woman, force her into sex, which is called rape by the way; nor would he isolate her from her friends/family. I’m not sure what happened to you along the way to make you the person you’ve become, but I’m here to say, you need help. There’ll only be so many times that you can abuse her before she finally snaps or you kill her. You need help and you need it now. I’ll continue to keep you both in prayer because Lord know it’s what you both really need.
Love!
Showing posts with label crimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crimes. Show all posts
08 April 2008
21 March 2008
protecting our children
If I hear of one more child being abused, I’m going to commit homicide. Yes, I realize that’s quote a profound statement and one that I’m unlikely to execute, but I sure as hell would like to.
Recently, lil lady told me of a friend (we’ll call her Lisa) of hers who’d been abused by her uncle. Being the concerned parent that I am, I asked if there was anything I could do to help Lisa because it sounded like an intervention needed to happen. Lil lady told me that Lisa fears her cousin is also being abused, but she can’t prove it and fears that if she does tell, her aunt and cousin will suffer because the aunt doesn’t work. The uncle is the sole provider for the family. Lisa has exhibited behavior conducive to that of an abuse victim and is harboring a burden that is not fair and too heavy for her to carry.
I told lil lady that Lisa is welcome to come to the house anytime and that I’d be willing to listen to her and help her in any way I can. I understand Lisa’s trepidation, but it pisses me off to no end that her uncle continues to have that control over her. It’s said that he makes inappropriate comments to/about other girls in the family and his own child seems withdrawn and overly quiet. That in itself is a typical sign of an abused child.
I want to do something. I want to help Lisa relieve her burden and also help her aunt and cousin. They need the predator removed from their lives and he needs to be jailed and hopefully treated for his perversion. I’m sick and tired of our children being the victims of this type of crime and even worse the perp knowing that for the most part; he’ll get away with it. The long lasting and damaging effects of what Lisa has and continues to go through will haunt her unless she speaks up and speaks out. I was tempted to make a call to social services and inquire as to what could be done to help the family emotionally, psychologically, and financially, but opted out because I didn’t want to be pressed for information I 1) couldn’t give or 2) reveal information that seems like it’s not my place to give. Isn’t that a mofo though? You know what you’re doing is right, but in some ways you know it can do more harm? This is the dilemma that I don’t know how to handle.
As a parent, I could go to the end of the earth to seek justice for my child should she be an abuse victim. As a parent, I want to be an advocate for children in this position so they have a voice and know there’s someone out there that cares for them. Hell, even if I wasn’t a parent, I’d still feel the same way. I think it’s imperative that we find ways to help our children from being victims of incest, familial rape, and other forms of sexual abuse. This is a pervasive crime and crosses into all races and cultures. We all know directly or indirectly someone who’s been sexually assaulted or abused whether it occurred in their childhood or adulthood. The crime is a crime regardless of age, but the effects are so much more for a child to handle and grow up with.
As adults, it’s important for us to have productive roles in the lives of children; be they our own, siblings, nieces or nephews, godchildren, etc. Next month is Sexual Abuse Awareness month and I hope that each of us will do our part to serve and protect those in need. The child you see on the block, in the mall, or in a playground could be a victim, just as the man or woman right next to you could have or could be a victim. Equally, that man or woman could be a perpetrator. We must be proactive in whatever ways we can to prevent crimes like this from happening.
While, I still don’t know how I’m going to help Lisa, I’ve at least opened the door through lil lady and continue to pray for it to end one way or another.
Love!
Recently, lil lady told me of a friend (we’ll call her Lisa) of hers who’d been abused by her uncle. Being the concerned parent that I am, I asked if there was anything I could do to help Lisa because it sounded like an intervention needed to happen. Lil lady told me that Lisa fears her cousin is also being abused, but she can’t prove it and fears that if she does tell, her aunt and cousin will suffer because the aunt doesn’t work. The uncle is the sole provider for the family. Lisa has exhibited behavior conducive to that of an abuse victim and is harboring a burden that is not fair and too heavy for her to carry.
I told lil lady that Lisa is welcome to come to the house anytime and that I’d be willing to listen to her and help her in any way I can. I understand Lisa’s trepidation, but it pisses me off to no end that her uncle continues to have that control over her. It’s said that he makes inappropriate comments to/about other girls in the family and his own child seems withdrawn and overly quiet. That in itself is a typical sign of an abused child.
I want to do something. I want to help Lisa relieve her burden and also help her aunt and cousin. They need the predator removed from their lives and he needs to be jailed and hopefully treated for his perversion. I’m sick and tired of our children being the victims of this type of crime and even worse the perp knowing that for the most part; he’ll get away with it. The long lasting and damaging effects of what Lisa has and continues to go through will haunt her unless she speaks up and speaks out. I was tempted to make a call to social services and inquire as to what could be done to help the family emotionally, psychologically, and financially, but opted out because I didn’t want to be pressed for information I 1) couldn’t give or 2) reveal information that seems like it’s not my place to give. Isn’t that a mofo though? You know what you’re doing is right, but in some ways you know it can do more harm? This is the dilemma that I don’t know how to handle.
As a parent, I could go to the end of the earth to seek justice for my child should she be an abuse victim. As a parent, I want to be an advocate for children in this position so they have a voice and know there’s someone out there that cares for them. Hell, even if I wasn’t a parent, I’d still feel the same way. I think it’s imperative that we find ways to help our children from being victims of incest, familial rape, and other forms of sexual abuse. This is a pervasive crime and crosses into all races and cultures. We all know directly or indirectly someone who’s been sexually assaulted or abused whether it occurred in their childhood or adulthood. The crime is a crime regardless of age, but the effects are so much more for a child to handle and grow up with.
As adults, it’s important for us to have productive roles in the lives of children; be they our own, siblings, nieces or nephews, godchildren, etc. Next month is Sexual Abuse Awareness month and I hope that each of us will do our part to serve and protect those in need. The child you see on the block, in the mall, or in a playground could be a victim, just as the man or woman right next to you could have or could be a victim. Equally, that man or woman could be a perpetrator. We must be proactive in whatever ways we can to prevent crimes like this from happening.
While, I still don’t know how I’m going to help Lisa, I’ve at least opened the door through lil lady and continue to pray for it to end one way or another.
Love!
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