THE SILENT CRY OF A CHILD
I am innocent, I am naive and gullible, I am a child . But my heart is burdened. There is something not right about the way this adult touches me. All I feel are pains, pains that consume me.
And I asked myself why he was doing that to me? I couldn't find an answer, so all I did was just to lay
there watching him play with me. Yes, that's what he said, that he was just playing with me. This adult is someone close to me. Why was he hurting me this way? What did I do wrong? Why is he inflicting my body with pains? I don't deserve this, I don't like the way this is making me feel. I cried.
One day I got the courage and asked him what was he doing to me and why was he doing it. He carried me on his laps, calmed me down, told me he loved me and promised to do anything I wanted, like buying me toys and giving me money. But he gave me an ultimatum that I must not let anyone know what he does to me, not even my mum and dad. He said that it was for my own good or I would die. Die? No! I didn't want to die, so I kept quiet.
Mum and dad leave very early and come back very late. The only time I get to see them is at weekends. Still they don't really have my time. I almost wanted to tell them what the adult was doing to me, but cat got my tongue. When I remember what the adult had told me I kept it all to myself. Every night before I go to sleep, I try to wait for mum and dad, but eventually I end up sleeping off. He takes me to my room, and starts doing that thing that leaves me in pains. I just stay glued to my bed and watch him. Please let him stop. I can't stand this pains. They are tearing me apart. What is this adult doing to me? I cry inside of me silently.
Child sexual abuse is the silent cry of a child, a cry that destroys the heart, tampering with childhood dreams. A lot of children are crying this cry. Some more will likely cry if nothing is done to stop it. This silent killer is eating deep into the destinies of most children.
Child sexual abuse is a form of sexual activity in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation.
It can also be defined as when an adult uses his or her will-power to engage a child in any sexual pleasure.
A person that sexually abuse a child is called a paedophiles/predators. They feed on the child sexually.
Statistics has it that over 90% of child sexual abuse are well known to the victims.
30% are members of the family.
60% are friends of the family.
10% are strangers.
It is believed that there is tendency that children within the age bracket of 5-18 will experience this silent killer called child sexual abuse and molestation. Children suffering abuse develop a range of Mal-adaptive, anti social and self-destructive behavior(physical/emotional) and thoughts by trying to cope with the abuse and trying to understand what they can't fathom.
This silent killer kills a child silently and gradually, and ends up leaving them with effects. When a child experiences sexual abuse or molestation, that child's world comes crashing down, and he or she will have to respond to it one way or the other. This abuse takes away from the child and makes the child feel lost among her peer group. It can occur in a variety of settings, including home, schools or work(in places where child labour is common).
Let me talk about the behavioral and psychological effects your child will face when he or she is being sexually abused or molested. When that child is experiencing sexual abuse or molestation, there are behavioural/psychological effects that it will leave on that child. And these effects can leave wounds that will run skin deep in that child's life.
EFFECTS
The child will show unusual fear of a certain place or location. Parents, be watchful, when your child does not want to go to a certain place or location, there must definitely be a reason for such. It's your call to investigate why it is so.
That child will have unexplained periods of panic, which may be as a result of flashbacks from the abuse. This is very detrimental to a child. In this case you are advised to seek further help for that child - like seeing a psychologist.
Tendency of being isolated, withdrawn, depressed and alone. This can rob and kill their childhood memories. As a result they withdraw from their mates and peer groups because they don't feel free with them. They are mostly quiet and moody, and love to stay in isolated place, wanting to be all by themselves. Children are known to be playful, but the moment they start wanting to be all by themselves, you should sense something is wrong. Address it fast.
When they start indicating a sudden reluctance to be alone with a certain person may mean they have trust issues and fear. Watch your child when he or she does not want to hang around when a particular person is around, there is something about that person that displeases your child. It's your duty to know the reason.
They show aggressive behaviour towards family members, teachers, friends, among others. They start exhibiting anger traits because they feel no one understands what they are going through and as a result they become rebellious.
They withdraw from previously enjoyable activities. They stop deriving pleasure in what they loved doing before. They detest almost everything around them. Their academic performances drop drastically because they tend to think a lot.
Their mind is occupied with suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. They don't feel like existing or being alive anymore.
Asking ununsual questions about human sexuality and drawing sexual pictures or images.
Don't want to change clothes before their peers. They are always reluctant to dress. And they also cry excessively.
Self-mutilation and avoiding people touching them.
Sexually acting out on younger children and sexual behaviour or knowledge beyond years. There is a tendency for them to try and abuse other children as well, trying out what happened to them.
Parents, how do you hear the silent cry of your child? Through their actions. Action they say speaks louder than words. From their actions you can get words out of their mouth and act. Be calculative and very watchful by reading your child well. I believe you should know your child better. If you sense a change in him or her, it's time for proper action. Help that innocent child today from sexual abuse, by helping them to un-cry their silent cry.
I am innocent, I am naive and gullible, I am a child . But my heart is burdened. There is something not right about the way this adult touches me. All I feel are pains, pains that consume me.
And I asked myself why he was doing that to me? I couldn't find an answer, so all I did was just to lay
there watching him play with me. Yes, that's what he said, that he was just playing with me. This adult is someone close to me. Why was he hurting me this way? What did I do wrong? Why is he inflicting my body with pains? I don't deserve this, I don't like the way this is making me feel. I cried.
One day I got the courage and asked him what was he doing to me and why was he doing it. He carried me on his laps, calmed me down, told me he loved me and promised to do anything I wanted, like buying me toys and giving me money. But he gave me an ultimatum that I must not let anyone know what he does to me, not even my mum and dad. He said that it was for my own good or I would die. Die? No! I didn't want to die, so I kept quiet.
Mum and dad leave very early and come back very late. The only time I get to see them is at weekends. Still they don't really have my time. I almost wanted to tell them what the adult was doing to me, but cat got my tongue. When I remember what the adult had told me I kept it all to myself. Every night before I go to sleep, I try to wait for mum and dad, but eventually I end up sleeping off. He takes me to my room, and starts doing that thing that leaves me in pains. I just stay glued to my bed and watch him. Please let him stop. I can't stand this pains. They are tearing me apart. What is this adult doing to me? I cry inside of me silently.
Child sexual abuse is the silent cry of a child, a cry that destroys the heart, tampering with childhood dreams. A lot of children are crying this cry. Some more will likely cry if nothing is done to stop it. This silent killer is eating deep into the destinies of most children.
Child sexual abuse is a form of sexual activity in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation.
It can also be defined as when an adult uses his or her will-power to engage a child in any sexual pleasure.
A person that sexually abuse a child is called a paedophiles/predators. They feed on the child sexually.
Statistics has it that over 90% of child sexual abuse are well known to the victims.
30% are members of the family.
60% are friends of the family.
10% are strangers.
It is believed that there is tendency that children within the age bracket of 5-18 will experience this silent killer called child sexual abuse and molestation. Children suffering abuse develop a range of Mal-adaptive, anti social and self-destructive behavior(physical/emotional) and thoughts by trying to cope with the abuse and trying to understand what they can't fathom.
This silent killer kills a child silently and gradually, and ends up leaving them with effects. When a child experiences sexual abuse or molestation, that child's world comes crashing down, and he or she will have to respond to it one way or the other. This abuse takes away from the child and makes the child feel lost among her peer group. It can occur in a variety of settings, including home, schools or work(in places where child labour is common).
Let me talk about the behavioral and psychological effects your child will face when he or she is being sexually abused or molested. When that child is experiencing sexual abuse or molestation, there are behavioural/psychological effects that it will leave on that child. And these effects can leave wounds that will run skin deep in that child's life.
EFFECTS
The child will show unusual fear of a certain place or location. Parents, be watchful, when your child does not want to go to a certain place or location, there must definitely be a reason for such. It's your call to investigate why it is so.
That child will have unexplained periods of panic, which may be as a result of flashbacks from the abuse. This is very detrimental to a child. In this case you are advised to seek further help for that child - like seeing a psychologist.
Tendency of being isolated, withdrawn, depressed and alone. This can rob and kill their childhood memories. As a result they withdraw from their mates and peer groups because they don't feel free with them. They are mostly quiet and moody, and love to stay in isolated place, wanting to be all by themselves. Children are known to be playful, but the moment they start wanting to be all by themselves, you should sense something is wrong. Address it fast.
When they start indicating a sudden reluctance to be alone with a certain person may mean they have trust issues and fear. Watch your child when he or she does not want to hang around when a particular person is around, there is something about that person that displeases your child. It's your duty to know the reason.
They show aggressive behaviour towards family members, teachers, friends, among others. They start exhibiting anger traits because they feel no one understands what they are going through and as a result they become rebellious.
They withdraw from previously enjoyable activities. They stop deriving pleasure in what they loved doing before. They detest almost everything around them. Their academic performances drop drastically because they tend to think a lot.
Their mind is occupied with suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. They don't feel like existing or being alive anymore.
Asking ununsual questions about human sexuality and drawing sexual pictures or images.
Don't want to change clothes before their peers. They are always reluctant to dress. And they also cry excessively.
Self-mutilation and avoiding people touching them.
Sexually acting out on younger children and sexual behaviour or knowledge beyond years. There is a tendency for them to try and abuse other children as well, trying out what happened to them.
Parents, how do you hear the silent cry of your child? Through their actions. Action they say speaks louder than words. From their actions you can get words out of their mouth and act. Be calculative and very watchful by reading your child well. I believe you should know your child better. If you sense a change in him or her, it's time for proper action. Help that innocent child today from sexual abuse, by helping them to un-cry their silent cry.
I love this and I must say that the message was duely disseminated out with good articulation... I love this: "This evil act of rape destroys individual and if not put in check that individual can destroy a family, and the effect of that on family will translate to the society and then the Nation at large. Perhaps this may be the reason for the many rape cases we have around today, many homes today are suffering because of this major disaster."
ReplyDeleteThe act of negligence and insouciance of parents cannot be overrated hence, it has eaten into the deep part of parenting in this our own side of the world and this has become overbearing. Many of this parents hide behind the shadows of being ignorant about the signs and isolation of their wards from their peers or an adult. Children are heritage of God and the hope of every family and nation. This article shouldn't just be glanced through but rather it should serve as a PREVENTIVE measure for every potential parent/guardian out there. God bless u mum.. @bunmicake
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