Blog Against Sexual Violence Day: I’m Right Here
April 5th is Blog Against Sexual Violence Day. For my contribution I am sharing a short poem written by a rape survivor. The poem is called: “I’m Right Here.” You can find links to the other articles at Abyss2Hope.
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Here are the facts.
By the time they turn 18, 1 in 4 girls, and 1 in 6 boys, will become the victims of unwanted sexual contact by an adult, usually someone that they know and trust.
Most of these children will never report the crime.
I’m Right Here
I am the little girl
cutting off her hair
to make herself ugly
so he will leave her alone.
I am the little boy
trying to explain
but not knowing the words
to tell where it hurts.
I am the girl
who pours your coffee
and wears long sleeves
to hide the scars.
I am the boy
on your son’s team
who never changes
in the locker room.
I am the woman
you saw this morning
who cried
when she dropped her keys.
I am the man you saw this afternoon
riding on the subway
looking helpless
and staring at the floor.
I am your sister and your brother
I am your daughter and your father
I am your mother and your son
I am your friend
and I can’t tell you what happened
because I can’t say the words
and I’m afraid.
I’m right here.
General News
Jenny responds:
Posted: April 6th, 2007 at 3:20 pm →
Oh that’s nifty. I like that poem. And that whole “Blog Against Sexual Violence” is a pretty good idea.
Jackal responds:
Posted: April 6th, 2007 at 3:32 pm →
Powerful!
KatM responds:
Posted: April 8th, 2007 at 12:28 am →
As a survivor of sexual abuse and rape I can’t tell you how much this poem resonates in my heart.
I deal with the fear every single day. I don’t always have the words to tell people what’s wrong.
Thank you for printing this. I hope that people will read and think about the impact sexual violence has on the lives of survivors.
~Kathryn
Steve Olson responds:
Posted: April 9th, 2007 at 4:12 pm →
That is a beautiful poem. So human. So telling. So real. Keep up the good fight.
Sandra Reid responds:
Posted: September 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm →
you
TO THE abuser who abused ME..
you STIR UP your own cesspool OR sin THAT WILL EAT you UP INSIDE AND OUT.
your fans ARE LIKE AN INFECTED SORE, they SHOW UP AT THE WRONG PLACE AND THE WRONG TIME, WAITING TO GET BIGGER TO MAKE you EVENING SICKER.
WHEN you ARE ON your DEATH BED, you WILL NOT HAVE CONTROL OF your THOUGHTS OR ACTIONS ANYMORE.
you HAVE NO FEELINGS ONLY WHEN youVICTOMIZE THE PEOPLE you HURT.
ANIMALS DO NOT ACT LIKE you DO.
you ARE NOT WELCOME IN MY HOME OR PLACE ANYMORE ALONG WITH your fans.
GOD HAS PAYED A PRICE FOR you SO HE CAN BE POOR FOR your SAKE.
you MISSED THE WORD “LOVE” & you TURNED IT INTO E-VOL.