Interview

I had a person with past personal experience with child abuse, come and talk to me about it. I wanted to hear their story, and I wanted them to tell their story, so that their story never remained in the dark.

Interview:

Me: So how did it start?

Guest: I think it's always been like this.

Me: Why was your parent(s) abusive?

Guest: They always said it was because I was a bad kid. Bad kids deserved to be punished.

Me: What were some of the things they'd do to you?

Guest: They would always bring out the belt and hit me with it, sometimes they'd use their hands to hit me. Sometimes they threw things too.

Me: Was it your dad or your mom?

Guest: Mostly my dad.

Me: What would your mom do while this was occurring?

Guest: She'd watch. She probably thought I deserved it too. She was the one who would tell my dad.

Me: Did you ever call the police? Find someone for help?

Guest: No. No matter what they did to me, they were still family. I couldn't turn my back on my family.

Me: How do you think this affected you? Emotionally and/or physically?

Guest: I was scared all the time. I became really anxious all the time. I'd be incredibly cautious about what I said to them. My friends knew, but they knew not to tell.

Me: What happened as you grew older?

Guest: The beatings came in less and less. Maybe I grew out of it, or maybe they did. Maybe I became a good child?

Me: Well thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Guest: No problem. And yes. Just know, if this is happening to you, or it has, just remember that it is not your fault. Don't think that something like this could ever result from something you did. God would not have wanted for this to happen to you.