Child Abuse

Yesterday I got into the discussion of Woody Allen and his alleged child abuse scandal.  Child abuse is something about which I care a lot, as I suffered enough of it myself when young.  I know the problems that children have in such situations. I have an entire long sorry chapter about it, and so am never anything but strict, stern, and relentless in my pursuit of the end of it. I would not marry, and I would not have children because of it. I would never put a child through the hell that I went through as a child, and I cannot emphasize that enough.  So any mention of it brings the hard hearted and seriously mean it aspect of my nature. I would and could kill over it.

I do not like for it to be dismissed, trivialized, or ignored in any way.  I learned how to overcome my own hatred of people associated with it, as life has many hard lessons for us to undergo.  I eventually did make my peace with the perpetrator who had assaulted me so often when just a child, and I have had to relive those experiences each and every time I hear another story of it.  I have a hard shell around me. I am a tough and resilient person, but I do know that sexual and emotional and physical abuse is a serious lot for any child to have to endure.  So don't play games with me about it. I am deadly serious about the need to end it.

While I cannot change the world in its attitude towards it, I can and will stand up to it. I stood up to the individual who did this to me all my life, but I finally learned a possible reason for it too.  I was able finally to communicate this to that individual.  All I can say is that I eventually let hate dissolve to love after all.  May he rest in peace now.  And may I insist that people do not ever dismiss a child's need for protection and loving care.