Speak out, up, and for

Do you know of a child or an adult who is being abused? Do you stay quiet in fear of stepping in and doing something? Do you pray about the situation and then "leave it in Gods hands"? I want to encourage you. If you think someone is being abused, call and have a wellness check done. You can ask to be an anonymous caller. Furthermore, if you know abuse is going on, please report it to authorities where you can also report it anonymously.

Praying for others is something I will never discourage or look down on. I believe those who brought me to God during their prayers is partly why I am where I am today. Why I live in freedom and with forgiveness.

As I am a survivor of abuse myself, I look at my past and see things from almost an outside view. When I look back, I can see some situations whether in schools or hospitals where I would think I displayed many "signs" that I was getting abused. Nothing happened though. Nobody asked. Nobody reported.

My stomach twists and gets all jumbled up when I think back to when I was being abused by my G-father. I wore bruises underneath my clothes and shame on my face each and every day. I wore baggy hoodies in hot climates (Arizona) to hide the evidence of self-harming in class. I hated me. I hated home. Instead, I should have just hated what was happening to me at home.

I did find out years later, after being abused by him, that more than one family was aware. To this day, I have forgiven those who knew but stayed silent. I remember one time an officer coming to the house. He came and checked on me. Obviously, I was underage and the officer asked to speak to me outside. I knew I did not have the freedom to ask that officer for help. All I knew, was that my grandfather was right on the other side of that front door which wasn't even closed all the way. I said everything was good and covered everything up with a smile while fear and anguish was eating me away on the inside. I don't remember who called or what for. I just remember being asked if I feel safe and if anybody was hurting me.

I will never forget the day that became the last time I ever saw him. I was hiding my bruises as usual but this time, I had to wear sunglasses. In class, I was not sent to the principles office for not removing them as told. Instead, I was taken to the nurses station. I guess somebody knew this had to be the last for me as it was getting worse and worse. Well, they called the authorities who saw me before calling child protective services. In the nurses station, I was picked up by a male officer and placed in a standing position on a child sized chair. Out of fear, I pulled my fist back to hit him or fight him away which is when he promised he wasn't there to hurt me. At this point, there is no sunglasses hiding the ugly truths that was going on behind closed doors.

My mind was racing so fast. I knew the last bell for the school day was going to ring soon. My mind was quickly trying to figure out how to get out of this knowing the g-father was going to be outside the school waiting for me. It was then that the bell sounded and this time, it represented my freedom. The officer made me a promise and kept it as I believed he would. He told me, "If you tell me what is going on at home, I promise you won't have to go back". It was at that moment I knew, without a doubt, that I would never have to see him again.

I'm sharing my experience here because of two reasons. First, I want you to understand that I realize the pros and cons that could go along with any kind of reporting. Even if authorities are sent to the house to inspect, the outcome could be either good or bad for the one being abused. I know you wouldn't want to be responsible for the person being more hurt. At the same time, if it was never reported again, I most likely would have never gotten free from the abuse.

Secondly, I can understand how it may feel like you just wanna mind your own business. Most often, people will say, "Someone else will call" or "somebody else will deal with that". But as in my case, where some knew and did nothing, what if that other "someone" was to never show up? I know its easier to pray for freedom for those being abused and hoping someone will do something about it. But it is time that we all step up and decide to be the one.

I do forgive those who didn't speak of what they knew when I was younger. I want to encourage everyone to start being the one! Be the one who speaks out, up, and for! Don't wait to report until things get worse or until you're no longer wondering. PLEASE, on behalf of the abused, Be the one and don't wait for someone else to save that child or adult.