Parents, Don't Hurt Your Children

I was watching Oprah today. (I know, I know, it's a rerun. She's retired or something like that.) Anyways, today's rerun episode is about sex offenders. This show was from the sex offenders perspective instead of the victims, like most of these shows are when it's on this topic. Unfortantly, I know quite a few people who have been sexually abused/molested.

One of the sex offenders said something that made something click inside of my head. When Oprah asked them what they felt they did to their victims, one of them responded that he murdered who they could have been.

This is SO fucking true and not just for sexual abusers, but for ALL types of abusers--physical, emotional, verbal. All of them.

As a product of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, I want to make a plea to all parents. Please don't hurt your children. I don't care how your parents raised you, it's NOT okay to pass it down to your children.

When you abuse your children, you are killing who they could have been. Don't take that from them.

I feel like I am a strong person and what I've been through has only made me stronger, but not everyone is strong. Statistics show that abuse in children can lead to pregnant teens, substance abusing adults, and prison time, among other things.

Do the right thing, love your children, don't hurt them.