A short, true story for a good friend who deserves better.
"My Mummy only beats me when I'm bad," She says, "she doesn't do it often, and only in the holidays."
"That's awful" I say "why don't you tell someone?"
She doesn't answer.
"Honey, it's illegal to beat up kids, it's child abuse!" I know the answer already, she's too scared of her mother. Her father doesn't beat her, but he doesn't stop his wife doing it either.
"She'd only do it harder if I told her to stop, if I do anything wrong she beats me. She threw a metal belt at me once, it made my eye bleed."
My friend cannot speak to adults without shivering from fear. Is it fair that her parents do this to her?
Ask her why she doesn't tell, and sometimes she'll tell you that she's not allowed to talk about what goes on inside the house, so she doesn't.
I want to tell people who she is and where she lives, but I'm not allowed. I am forced to sit and wonder why people do this to their children, it isn't fair or right or natural to beat a child who can't defend herself until she's too scared to talk to any adult anywhere.
Why do people do it?
You don't need to comment, don't bother to vote, just read and try and help people in this situation, it's not nice for anybody concerned.
