Owutatangledweb
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- Sep 19, 2009
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I want to comment that I myself was raised with atrocious abuse that was 24-7 and of many sorts and yes I went to school each day, but, see, the parent/s tell 'ya 'NEVER TELL WHAT IS GOING ON HERE'
PLUS
the parent/s tell you repeatedly, too, that what in fact happened DIDN'T HAPPEN,
so a kid's brain and thinking gets all mixed up. Parts of me could/can never figure 'what really happened' and 'what didn't', and you're full of a life-death fear if you/I don't do as ordered.
I have long lapses in memory of childhood, and can be 'triggered', PTSD, with sudden recall of this or that horror. I believe is saying the facts and the facts for me included -but were not limited to - things such as:
1. Vomiting from the stress into my dish of oatmeal/porridge (me - around age 3?) and being ordered then to 'eat it', vomiting more, then being ordered to clean it up, and
2. Choked to unconsciousness, surely (me - age 2-3-4???) to make me 'shut up' for crying or whatnot, and then slapped around back to consciousness, and of course, told 'never tell' and 'it didn't happen' sorts of things. The choking was a common one for me, and I have an idea of my age in my recall because I can remember the abuser lifting me and 'throwing' me on the kitchen counter to then waterboard me in the kitchen sink, FOR EG !, and
3. Nighttime sex abuse by 'other parent', and
4. Some experiences of downright torture.
It makes me tired to remember - I'm grateful it's 'over' and I feel so grateful just to be able to do things like sleep in peace now.
With all due respect, I think that people who comment along the lines of 'these kids will all be resilient....' never experienced heavy duty child abuse and just don't understand how it is. It wears a person down, and I know that there's this element of the abuse having been since infancy, for me, that has me 'mixed up' because I lacked adult reasoning abilities at that time and lacked ability to understand what was going on and lacked ability to articulate any of it. Then, add on top of that, all the 'you're mistaken - that didn't happen' kerap and one winds up feeling vulnerable and mixed up.
My personal experience is that I now gravitate to people with whom I feel very, very safe and free and calm.
I know I'm very vulnerable to people who lie - it just overwhelms me with upset to be lied to and 'knowing it's happening' - I just can't wrap my mind around 'things' - I just feel all mixed up and confused. So I now stay away from people who I know are 'dangers' for me. Since Xmas was just weeks ago, I comment that I do NOT believe in telling kids 'Santa is real' - I find that so scary and creepy to do, tho' a part of 'adult me' understands that the kids being told that baloney, I suppose, are experiencing pretty lovely little home lives, not the nonstop 24-7 nightmare/daymare I lived.
Thank you for this jolt of reality and sharing your intimate story. It will not be easy for these children or anyone who is helping them or is around them, but your post shows that with enough hard work, they CAN eventually become caring rational adults such as you. God bless you.