Abuse can occur in any form to anybody


Please help stop it....

"Sometimes Love Just Ain't enough"
Patty Smyth

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We pray for the Children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes,"
who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry
and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find any bread to steal,
who don't have any rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.

We pray for children
who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store
and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories, who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at
and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those
whose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
who have never seen a dentist,
who aren't spoiled by anybody,
who go to bed hungry
and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move,
but have no being.

We pray for children
who want to be carried
and for those who must,
who we never give up on
and for those who don't get a second chance.
For those we smother and . . .
for those who will grab the hand of anybody
kind enough to offer it.

--Author Unknown

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It is a sad thing when a person betrays his or her trust and abuses another person, especially if that victim is a child. Abuse does not happen only to children, but can happen to anyone. Domestic Violence can happen in any home, no matter your race, religion, age, culture, economic status, or your sexual orientation.

All I can say is that if you are in a relationship that is abusive, PLEASE seek help because the abuse may not stop there. There are many places where you can seek help: local shelters, churches and community programs, as well as the internet.

I do know how hard it can be to break free from an abusive relationship.....I have been there. I was with someone who psychologically and emotionally abused me, plus took a lot of my money and belongings. In addition, this person made it look like I was the cause of all the trouble, and gave me the impression that I had no right to complain about anything happening in the relationship. I guess I was in the relationship because I was used to being mistreated (I was sexually and emotionally abused as a child), and it was what I grew up to expect. Well, I finally realized that I deserved better, and left. I would like to thank those who stood by me, and supported me then......I guess I am one of the lucky ones *grin*

The best thing you can do if you see a child, or an adult, in an abusive relationship, or in a situation that will do them harm, is to contact the authorities, and get them help.

I am providing some links to pages where you can get more information, as well as help if you want it.

Links to other sites on the Web

Child Abuse: Statistics, Research, and Resources
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
No Safe Place: Children and Violence
International Child Abuse Network (YesICAN)
Women in Transition
Domestic Violence Information Page
Gay and Lesbian Domestic Violence
Diane's Domestic Violence Page: links for women, men, straight and gay, teens and children

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