@itsmyworld, I admire your courage to share your story as it offers invaluable insight into the mind of an abused child ... and into the mind of Gannon Stauch.
First and foremost, child abusers place the responsibility of carrying the shame onto the child.
My hope is that you gave it back to your abuser where it belongs. Second, abusers also place the responsibility of the consequences of discovery onto the child.
Third, the abuser begins a smear campaign and triangulation against the child with other family members to ensure the child is isolated and NOT believed in the event they tell. And
Fourth, the abused child is targeted as the family scapegoat which serves to keep all others in line. Without outside intervention, the abused child doesn't stand a chance.
One must be aware of these tactics before they can recognize them. In this case, there are signs of all four tactics at work against Gannon:
- Gannon's abuse was unknown and unreported, an indicator of shame,
- TS's devalued Gannon as if it was acceptable to others, an indicator of a smear campaign already in the works,
- There is blatant triangulation to control AS's thoughts about GS.
- GS denied LS's complaint to LH of mistreatment by TS, an indicator that he feared the consequences,
- After LS's complaint about TS, LH went mama bear and AS fiercely defended TS then then demanded an apology to her, an indicator of GS protecting his mother and father from TS's wrath.
- Despite HH's loving memorial video of GS, she refused to cooperate with LE in the investigation of his brutal and savage murder, and indication that GS was the family scapegoat. Siding or helping him assured consequences.
Every child is born with the longing to be loved and protected by their parents - it's grounded in their survival instinct. I treated too many children that were hospitalized as a result of physical abuse. And it is completely gut-wrenching to hear them wake up and cry for the parent that abused them.
I suspect Gannon felt responsible to protect his mother, to protect his parent's relationship, his father's new marriage, his baby sister, and even his family from eviction from their home. He
is a hero and he ushered in the exposure of the Evil that infected his family. We can be thankful that Gannon will no longer feel afraid or carry the burdens of the responsibility forced upon him. His family is now safe, and he is free.
I had a fantasy that the court made one exception for Gannon's justice ... they sentenced TS to be in a room alone with Gannon's mother for one hour.
@itsmyworld, your post is a good reminder of the reason we are all here ...
We want justice for Gannon!