Abusers, Victims and Heroes

To the triond community and more. Recently I wrote an article (Through A Child's Eyes) and I received a number of different responses. First of all, I would like to point out that the story itself is fictional and was written to make a very real point that abuse in anyway is wrong and whatever the case may be, we should never raise our hand in anger. Although the story was fictional itself, it was written in a very raw sort of way as a reminder and an eye-opener to all abuse.  I purposely used the grandmother in the story just to shed light on the fact that elderly abuse is a growing epidemic. I also wanted this to show how abuse can transfer from one family member to another. Maybe the grandmother abused her daughter at one point. Whichever the case may be, the reason behind it is irrelevant because there is never an excuse for abusing any person. The article in one way or another affected the responses I received and they were not all affected in the same way. I would also like to point out that the whole of this article is about abusers, victims and heroes.

In my comment section there were four bold and courageous responses that touched me from four women. I would like to thank these women for sharing their stories. They are all heroes in a different way. First: Leanne Hume, for sharing the fact that our children follow in our footsteps while growing and responding with a very real and honest example. Next: Jo Bingham, for sharing a story of atrocities in an old age home. third: Michele Cameron Drew, for sharing a story in which she witnessed an abuse and courageously confronted the abuser and then contacted the proper authorities, and last: Debbie Berk, for sharing a most difficult and personal abuse that affected her personally.

We have all, either been abused, a witness to abuse or have acted in some way of stopping the abuse of another. Myself, being a parent, I have come across a few abuse cases through the friends of my children. Although I didn't intervene in every case; however, I did speak out in a calm and appropriate manner to the parents in a couple instances. In both cases there were no physical abuse. One was kicked out of the home when he was thirteen and ended up staying in my home for over four months and the second was verbally abused until he ran away.Their may not have been any physical abuse but it 's still abuse just the same.

Often times, school and neighborhood bullies are a result of a child being abused in some way or witnessing abuse on a daily level. No-matter what the situation, children inherit abuse from somewhere and sadly to say a lot of times it's in their own home. Children learn by example, they are not born abusers because they learn and grow by watching others. At some point we have to get involved and take responsibility. Did you know that in most cases of abuse their is always someone that knows of the abuse or had witnessed it first hand but refused to do anything about ti because  they believed it was not their place or their business to do so? As parents we want the very best for our children. We want them to be safe at all times but we also expect another adult or parent to intervene if he/she witnessed the abuse of a child. Would you? Get involved people, I implore you because if you witness abuse of any kind : elderly, child or an adult you should always speak out before it's too late!  As for heroes, well they come in many different forms and in many different ways. Such is the case with the four women above. Anyone can be hero simply by asking the child or person if he/she are okay. As human being we have to stop hiding behind the blinds and speaking out. It only takes a second to get involved but it takes a whole life time to get rid of the scars and that's only if the victim survives.!