Monthly Archives: October 2016

Birdwatching in Panama, Author Alex Proimos (CC BY-2.0)

“And if they stare
Just let them burn their eyes
On you moving.
And if they shout
Don’t let it change a thing
That you’re doing.

Hold your head up,
Hold your head up,
Hold your head up,
Hold your head high.”

–        “Hold Your Head Up”, C. White, R. Argent © Marquise Songs

A rock song from the ’70s by Argent has special relevance for abuse survivors.  Called “Hold Your Head Up” it is a reminder that we are more than just victims.

But abuse victims, by whatever name, are not known for valuing themselves highly.  To the contrary, we can barely raise our heads, let alone form a realistic view of ourselves.

The abuse to which we were subjected created a web of lies – that we were worthless, that we were undeserving of love or care.  Trapped in that…

Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the 1938 version of “The Wizard of Oz”, Author dbking, Source http://flickr.com/photo/65193799@N00/234170351 (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)

WARNING: Graphic Images

Dorothy and Toto spent most of the beloved movie classic, “The Wizard of Oz”, trying to get back home to Kansas. But Kansas City has not been a safe place for children for years now.

An investigation by the Kansas City Star has disclosed that police abandoned many child rape and other cases of serious abuse against children [1].  Internal memoranda by the Kansas City Police Dept. describe 148 cases as reflecting gross investigatory negligence, and what can only be characterized as callous disregard on the part of investigating officers.

The Crimes Against Children Unit investigates around 1,000 cases annually. Last summer, prosecutors were unable to proceed on a case it had taken over a year to investigate. Several hundred cases in the Unit were found to…

During October’s Domestic Violence Awareness, I want to help to bring awareness to some of the abuses that we endure… and that includes teen dating violence. Now I read this posting from Joyce of https://joicelizsabeth.wordpress.com/  and want to share her tragic story of loss. Let us continue to pray for all victims of abuse… including those left behind after the violence.

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I wanted to share this story because this just really touched my heart. I never talk about my youngest son because the wound and the grief from his death were so deep I couldn’t even bring &n…

Source: Domestic Violence Awareness & Teens

The warning signs of abuse…
are ignored so many times.
But I pray that you’ll heed them…
before violence is what you find.
For there are so many abuses
but these words you need to know-
Abuse “may take you further
than you ever wanted to go.

Actor Robert Cummings as Parris in “Kings Row”, Author Stetsonharry (PD)

“Parris:  I don’t know if you can take it, Drake.

Drake:   Give it to me.

Parris:    Dr. Gordon cut off your legs.  I don’t know if it was necessary.  He was that kind of butcher, who thought he had a special ordination to punish ‘transgressors’… Heaven knows what else.  The caverns of the human mind are full of strange shadows, but none of that matters.  The point is he wanted to destroy you.  Oh, not literally.  He wanted to destroy the Drake McHugh you were.  He wanted to see you turn into a life-long cripple, mentally as well as physically.  That’s all there is, Drake…

Drake (after a long pause, chuckles):  That’s a hot one, isn’t it? Where did Gordon think I lived, in my legs?  Did he think those things were Drake McHugh?…”

–        Kings Row (1942)

My…

Too many people do not understand the effects of abuse and trauma on it’s victims. The triggers that remain are very real and can be debilitating to it’s victims. (See the attached blog postings)

TRIGGERS are real…
with painful memories of the past…
with fear and panic that arise…
like the blow of a shotgun blast.
But too many don’t understand…
for they have not walked in our shoes..
so they can’t even comprehend…
cause they may never have been abused.
But those who have experienced it…
know their triggers and it’s effect…
for C-PTSD in abuse victims…
is more common than most expect.