Personal note to all
I’m writing this as an open letter to all who it reaches.
I’ve joked in the past that I dislike, or even hate, children. That isn’t true. It isn’t the children that I hate, but the vulnerability and dependency that children and childhood represents. Once upon a time ago, I was a child who was at the mercy of a damaged and toxic mother. I was also vulnerable to other adults who should have used their position as an adult to protect me, but instead they used it to harm and take advantage.
Larry Nassar was recently convicted of molesting at least 150 underaged girls. He used his position as not only an adult, but as a doctor to continuously assault these children for his own pleasure. There was also a system put in place around him that allowed the abuse to go on for years and years.
A family of 13 adults, teenagers, and young children were recently freed from nothing short of a house of horrors. They were beaten, chained, starved, and some were sexually assaulted as well. These unspeakable acts were done by the two people who should have protected them… their parents.
In both cases, there are many who put the onus on the children who were the victims of these abuses for their own misery and salvation. I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve heard, “why didn’t they tell anybody?” or “why did they wait so long to come forward?” or “they should have known what was happening was wrong.” Each time I see it, my blood beings to boil. And equally, you’ll see a person intervened that might be a family member, or another person who worked at the same location, or old classmates who “knew something was wrong” or “wished they’d said something.” That makes my blood boil equally as hot.
So, let me tell each and everyone of you who is reading this something, WE ALL AS ADULTS HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT. Let me say that again for those who need to hear it again: We ALL, every single adult, have a DUTY to report. You don’t have to be a teacher or a police officer or a social worker. You just have to be a human being.
I know some will say, “but what if I’m wrong?” And to that I say, “what if you’re right?” What if your report saves a child from more beatings? More molestation? More pain? More suffering? Don’t bury your head in the sand because you don’t want to ‘get involved’ or it isn’t your ‘problem.’ Think of the life you could be saving… and DO IT!