Our memorial
by: Jaiden Washington
What is the issue?
My issue is the fact that sexual abuse affects our society every day, and it hurts to know that people do not know that almost every day or even right now that there is someone being beat to death or just beaten because they are a homosexual. And it’s not just homosexual people that get beat up too; there are also normal people too, because they are either bullied by one person who decides to bring a group of his friend, which this could lead to sexual abuse. Today is the day that I stand up for victims of sexual abuse and bully, because I was once a victim myself of sexual abuse and bully. This is not just my memorial, this is our memorial and this is our story.
Who does your issue affect, and why?
Sexual abuse affects boy's and girl's in different or similar ways. The reason why I say this because when a boy is sexual abuse (homosexual or straight) Richard B. Gartner, PHD says, " A homosexual boy may feel rushed into considering himself gay, or may hate his homosexuality because he believes it was caused by his abuse". He also said that boys who have been abuse develop fears and concerns about sexual orientation.
Who does your issue affect, and why?
When a girl is sexually abuse, we take it a little different from how boys are sexually abuse. Girl's are most likely not to turn out to be homosexual, because the abuser would commonly be a male. We develop more of mental issues and fear of man like, PTSD, Depression, and Dissociation. PTSD is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event either experiencing it or witnessing it. Depression is a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep. Dissociation is separation of normally related mental processes, resulting in one group functioning independently from the rest, leading in extreme cases to disorders such as multiple personality. Sometimes girl's that are sexually abuse can be bullied because they might tell someone and that someone(friend) can go around twisting things up making it seem like it wasn't sexual abuse; which can get really bad it might lead the victim into suicide.
Why should there be a memorial for this issue/injustice?
I feel like there should be a memorial because people need to understand why this happens to people, and why some boys or girls become homosexual. It would mean so much if I could make this memorial because sexual abuse needs to be taken serious, it shouldn't be looked at like something that just happen because the abuser is messed up in the head or has a mental issue because turns out it's not; I say this because we go through so much and sometimes people might take it the wrong way, and think it was not sexual abuse; they might look at it like as you let this person sleep in your bed or come in your room. Same thing for homosexual people, we get judge everyday and sometimes get kicked out of places because we are a disruption,I know this because i do get judge too because i am bisexual. We are not a disruption, we are actually talented people; we can do hair, makeup, dance, sing, act, dance, and ect. and we should be recognize as something beautiful and this is our time to shine; I know being homosexual isn't right but people have reason of why their that way, because at the end of the day no one is perfect.
Where would this memorial be placed, and why that location?
This memorial should be everywhere, why because it is time for people to know what we go through and to listen to what we went through as a child, teenager, and adult of why it's such an horrible thing in our society. This memorial could be in the hallways, classroom, street, park, and ect., because there are victims of sexual abuse and bully every where; you just wouldn't notice it. It wouldn't matter where the memorial was, as long as people know that are like me that I understand what they are going through and that their are not along.
What is your hope and/or goal for this memorial?
My hope is that people really change the way they treat others, because they could never know what they are going through or went through; they should treat them as if they were family and they would be there even when their down and would stand up to whoever is messing with them. My goal is that victims of sexual abuse, bully, cyber bully, or anything should stand up to people and have a word letting people know this is how they feel, let them know this is me and I'll shall not let you think you are more perfect than me because we are not all perfect, we make mistakes and mistakes until one day we truly find out who we are as a person, a family, and group. This isn't just a memorial for people who have been a victim of this issue, this is also a memorial for people who need to know, who have no clue what's going on in our society.
Homosexual parade
A event that happens every year for homosexuals
A girl in hiding
When we feel like we have no one else to run to and think everyone is against us.
A young brave girl
Something i did after 7 years of hiding, I finally told me mom, even though I wasn't suppose too. That day has made me the person i am today, A brave, beautiful,smart, and talented young lady.