April is Child National Child Abuse Prevention Month

I've been struggling all month with trying to write this entry. I'm nowhere near as talented and eloquent as people like theferrett or popfiend or any of the other "famous" bloggers out there. I'm just little ol' me. I'm making this entry public because I think awareness is important in preventing child abuse. I'm doing so with the understanding that some of what I may say might upset or surprise people who have known me since childhood (especially people who I might be related to), and while I apologize in advance I hope you understand why this issue is so important to me.

I am a survivor of child abuse.

I dont say this to garner pity. I certainly dont say it to create drama in my life. It is what it is, and it has shaped me (both good and bad) into the adult I have become. I'm not going to cite a laundry list of the offenses that were committed during my childhood and adolescence. Frankly I think that just shifts attention to the perpetrator and she ceased having the right to share space with me a long time ago. And again...I'm not here for a pity party.

What I DO want to talk about is abuse and its impact. Of course, there's physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. I dont mean to imply one type deserves more talking about than another, but since my experience is with emotional and (to a lesser extent) physical, that's what I'll focus more on.

( Cut in case its triggery to some... )

Now...if you're a parent, go hug your kid and tell them that no matter what they do or what direction their life takes them, you will always love them. And mean it.