Speaking Out

Speaking Out
B

Born to Resist

Registrant
I did something I thought I would never do. On another discussion board for a favorite band of mine I spoke out. A thread started about differences in ages when dating. Someone mentioned a clearly abusive siutation of a 23 year old woman and 16 year old male. I posted how her friend was a sexual perperatrator and she needed to act on the siutation (the post had several sentences but this is the gist). Other posts continued appropriately addressing the original question. A day later someone posted an off the wall joke about sexual abuse. I posted again with stats and how he we needed to stop perpetuating a culture that reinforces silence.

I'm glad and surprised that I spoke out even though it was on a DB. The people I posted about probably still don't understand my posts. But I'm glad that I didn't let them slide. I'm especially glad that someone who is silently reading the posts and experienced CSA knows they are not alone and what these people posted isn't okay. Hopefully from what I posted they will get the help they need.

Not sure where I go from here, but it is a surprising/interesting step form me.

Courage-Wisdom-Spirituality
 
I had a similar experience on AOL chats. I used to frequent a pretty good chat room there from 1999-present when before I quit drinking I admitted I was a victim of CSA.Most of the people there responded with empathy and seemed to show true concern. Also some of the people I call friends kept joking about sex between adults and children.after a long time of watching this ( remember some of these people I considered real friends )Remember I sat there and watched these jokes go on for at least 5 years just shrugging them off. I don't know why it took me so long to speak up but I did.I just typed this in the room." The jokes about kids I don't like and they upset me"
Well that showed there true colors!!!! they came after me for a few days so. I stopped going in for about a month and the last time I returned The people who attacked me didn't seem so "cool" anymore. I deleted AOL last Nov. and haven't been back.
Untill society in general learns to accept CSA as a "REAL" problem and realize that it affects the victims their whole life , we will continue to encounter these attitudes.OBVIOUSLY people like us who know its damage can accept its severity.I feel bad that I never took action untill late but I was also dealing with quitting drinking and severe panic attacks at the time too.I just wish everyone saw the pain these attitudes cause.
 
Thank you for doing that! The joking that goes on about CSA shows that the devastation is not really understood. I prefer to think of it that way, because I don't want to think that people would be so unfeeling or uncaring as to say those things if they really understood. During the Michael Jackson trial, I couldn't believe some of the jokes that were told on the Tonight Show. They were laughing, actually laughing at CSA...on national television! They thought it was funny. It was unfeeling and, as far as I was concerned, unforgivable. I wrote an email to the show in protest. I doubt that it did much good, but at least I tried. I hope someone who could do something about it read it and it wasn't just cast aside. There is nothing funny about CSA ever,for any reason. And, yes, I think we need to speak up in any situation in which a lack of understanding (feeling?) is evident. Thanks again for what you did. Nothing makes me angrier. Bobby
 
Born to Resist,

That was a real act of courage and you should be proud. You are breaking the silence, rejecting the blame and shame, and asserting your own innocence.

In addition to that, as others are saying, we all need to take more of a role in enlightening public opinion. If we won't do it for ourselves, who do we think will step up to the plate and do it for us?

Well done! :)

Much love,
Larry
 
i live very close to west virginia and it is the hall of shame for abuse jokes ,daily someone says one about family incest,shows thier intelligence i think ,i hate it
 
BTR - pleased that you did that!

PJN - there are some 'adults' that go into chat rooms for children and they pretend they are children themselves, so that they can groom future victims. You did right to speak up...good work!

best wishes ..Rik
 
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