Hands Aren’t Meant to Be Feared, by Rowe
I learned from a young age that mistakes, even simple mistakes on a homework assignment, equaled pain. I feared my father’s hands until I filled my own with love.
Child Abuse From the Eyes of a First Responder
In this blog, we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month by sharing one young child’s journey through the foster care system, as seen through the eyes of his volunteer child advocate. Like the more than 400,000 children living in foster care within the United States, this young child whom we will call Darius* did not…
The Most Toxic Form of Emotional Abuse: Withholding
“I wasn’t a participant in my own life for a while,” Have you ever felt this way? Is there someone in your life who treats you as if you aren’t a valuable person or as if you aren’t competent enough to take charge of your own life? Keep reading; oftentimes, learning the words and labels…
I am the 1 in 7: The Story of a Male Victim of Abuse, By Tom
Today, we are sharing a story from a victim that highlights not only how tormenting Covert Emotional Abuse can be, but how being a male victim abused by a woman can be a uniquely difficult and isolating situation. Like many other male victims, Tom endured years of maltreatment, both physical and emotional, before he found…
My Earliest Memories Were of Abuse, by Nicole
I experienced unfathomable abuse as a child. Now that I have children of my own, I’ve had to face the darkness in my past all over again.
Walking with Victims of Bullying: the Healing Model of Compassion
In the past few weeks, we have explored both childhood bullying and bullying within adult relationships. When we think of bullying, many of us automatically imagine a big kid on a playground pestering a smaller one or stealing their lunch money, but changing times and the use of technology have convoluted the traditional image of…
A Season of Gratitude
Gratitude. When I see her all dressed up swirling around on the top of her tippy toes — Pique turn after Pique turn — dancer’s leotard and tights, her hair in a bun, sparkles around her eyes, a brilliant smile on her face — I am grateful. No, I am overjoyed. My “little” girl is…
Not Just Child’s Play: How Covert Abuse Is Used by Adults to Bully
Many people use the term “bullying” in the context of childhood experiences, which we talked about last week on the blog. Yet, bullying is an expression of abuse that can extend into adulthood. Adults can be the biggest culprits of bullying yet bullying is often considered acceptable, or “normal,” among adults. We are often told…
Advocating on and off the playground: How to identify and prevent bullying in a child’s life.
Bullying among children and teens is a continual problem that has become more complex over time. Because of the widespread use of technology and social media, today’s kids often experience bullying well beyond the playground. Worse than the stereotypical name-calling and physical violence of bullying, cyberbullying has created a new and more accessible avenue for…
I WAS NEVER HEARD … BY “BROOKE” (PART 2)
Last week in our blog, we posted the first part of Brooke’s story in which she shared the multiple ways she experienced covert emotional abuse within her marriage. As we read the second half of her story today, Brooke gives us an insight into the secondary harm which happens to most victims when they reach…