This is when I lived in washington. I was about six. I’m ashamed to say I’m posting about a girl whose name I’ve long forgotten. I think, though, that it was Jules.
She was a friend of mine that lived right across the street from me in a nice little neighborhood. I never knew she was abused, but it was pretty bad apparently. We usually played outside and sometimes at my house. We typically never went to hers, which was okay with me, I didn’t like her house. Her mom made me uncomfortable and I wasn’t a fan of how dirty and unorganized things were with all the boxes filled with meaningless things just cluttering the floor. She was real skinny and I never thought much of until later on. Painfully obvious, it was because she wasn’t often fed. She was also beaten by her mom. I mistook her low self esteem and the way she would look at the floor when around her mom as some sort of shyness. “Jules” had also been sexually abused a number of times by her cousin. I think he was only maybe 14-16. He also touched my sister, but soon found himself being chased by one angry mom (mine, of course) and later arrested. I don’t know much about her life, it might have even been worse. I can’t imagine describing it in any way other than horrific. I don’t know where she is now, what she’s doing or whether or not she’s alive and well, but I wish her the best.
Thanks to all who kept reading. I can’t relate personally to being abused, but I’m always up for a talk if anyone needs to. xoxo -H.B
12 comments
Is this the same girl you mentioned on my post?
Yeah. After I commented, the thought of her upset me a little and she deserves a post. So, here it is.
Thank you for honouring her.
That poor girl. I know what it’s like to be abused and starved. It’s not good. I’m just so sorry that she had to go through it. Nobody deserves to be beaten or starved. Best of wishes to you.
Shay Marie.: I’m sorry to know you can relate. No doubt that that kind of treatment is undeserved.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate the comment (:
This story made me think back and wonder about some of the kids in my neighborhood and school waaaay back when I was a kid … i don’t know first hand of any specific instances of abuse, neglect or molestation but there were some symptoms in retrospect – of course in my day, spanking/whippings were commonplace and expected by the kids – today it would probably be considered horrific abuse … how times change. fyi – although I took many an ass whooping (most deserved) – I never laid a finger on either of my kids.
bad dawg
Dawg: I wouldn’t consider spankings abuse in any way at all. I used to be spanked and even, being in my teens, I think it’s just something kids need until a certain age. Hah. If anything parents might wanna start getting a little more strict. My mom used to have a daycare and all those kids were brats.
I often think about some kids from school not long ago that might have been in my elementary school or middle school and wonder if how they acted socially might have been something else.
In secondary school I was in the bottom grade for English would you believe mainly because of my poor attendance and destructive behavior. I was still the outstanding performer and all the other kids looked up to me because I helped them. Anyway there was a lad in my class who I actually had a fight with but got on ok afterwards. I even sat next to him once in class. He was a trouble maker but a good enough lad not malicious. I got two grade A’s in Language and Literature so I stayed on at school and he dropped out.
Fast forward 8 years and I got a job at a law firm doing criminal defence work. I was not qualified back then but was a paralegal and would often read case papers and take notes on trials. I recognised his name from the papers. He gave evidence but I don’t think he recognised me sitting behind counsel. He was so inconsistent that the prosecution were forced to offer no evidence and my client who was his cousin was eventually acquitted.
The allegations were that my client had systematically sexually abused him and his brother when they were children.
It all made sense, the behavior and everything. He eventually turned into a drug addict but at school I would have never imagined him turning to drugs or being abused. People hide it in ways which are not apparent. I’m not saying that he was telling the truth, I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But I do know that I have never represented an innocent person who has been convicted but plenty that go the other way.
I will be honest with you. Half of the people who work in my profession especially the unqualified, uneducated narrow minded people and it’s hard to believe that they were allowed to get into the country let alone profession are sneaky snide people. I have absolute faith in the system and believe the British legal system is the fairest in the world even if justice cannot always be achieved.
Police officers who have a fat salary and pension stuff themselves with doughnuts deciding which offenders to prosecute whilst claiming to sanctimoniously sympathise with the victims. Snide Lawyer goes in one room telling client one thing then in the other room telling the officer everything they need to know. If it’s in their interest of course. Social degradation at all levels. The BNP leader appeals to extremists for the £13 membership fee to pay for his new car or country cottage. You wanted to know the truth, there it is.
They say that mad men fly planes into buildings, blow things up and go on shooting sprees. We have no right to say anything because we allow it to happen. This must be the world they want for their children. My only regret is that I will not live to see it end.
Duke of Marmalade: That’s too bad. Far too many people get away with things like that. As far as that other stuff about the people working in your profession, I’ll admit I had trouble following. I’m still pretty young, after all and have yet to deal with those kinds of people and maybe that’s what it takes to fully understand how this world is.
I was abused by my brother. He would beat on me leaving cuts, scratches and bruises on my arms. I would have to wear long sleeve shirts to hide it during summer. My brother doesnt live with us anymore because he lives with my mom’s family up in maine. I hate my brother for what he did to me. My family says its my fault and that I deserved it and that I shouldnt be alive at all. There are alot of things that have affected me but When my family does it and tells me its my fault I cant stand it. But I would like to talk to someone about this because I cant seem to get over it even though its been two years.
AlexUchina: I’m so sorry. I’m glad you didn’t listen to your family and you’re still alive. I hope you didn’t believe them when they said it was your fault. I feel there’s nothing anyone could do to deserve any sort of abuse. But, if you need someone to just rant to (Because, like I said, I can’t relate personally) e-mail me at this address : haileys.goldenhue@ymail.com