This is fiction, yet the message is clear.

I was walking along the brick road one day, and I heard a little girl crying. I went to go see what happened. She was by the brook crying her eyes out. So I went up to her and there were bruises everywhere. I went and sat next to her, and started talking. I wasn’t going to say something like, “What’s wrong?” or anything. I was just like, “How’s school? What’s your name?” If she wanted to tell me what was wrong, she could tell me on her own.

She didn’t even answer my questions; she just started talking about what happened. This is what she said:

“Mother and I were making dinner, and father was just sitting on his chair. He looked very angry. Mother and I started to get in a fight about who was going to set the table, just some funny fights we get in. And father was getting very mad, because he couldn’t watch his TV show because we were making so much noise. So father went into the kitchen and started to beat up mother. I didn’t know what to do, so I started to dial 911. But before I even picked up the phone, father grabbed me. He starting throwing punches at me, and slapping me. It hurt so bad. I didn’t really understand why he was doing this. I guess he had a really bad day at work. So by the time I was pretty much passed out, he threw me in the basement. If the basement window wasn’t broken, I don’t know what I would do. I’m just thinking about what he would have done if I would have stayed there. Now I don’t know where to go, because if I go home, my father will never forgive me for leaving him.”

If you’re getting abused, tell someone.

At school, go to your guidance counselor, or your teacher, anyone – even your friends. Because your friends will most likely tell their parents, and their parents will call a child abuse agency or the police. If there’s no one around, call 911.

If you need help, you can go to Advocates for Children.

Advocates for Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. Since 1978, they have supported Androscoggin County families through education, outreach, and advocacy.

Here are some Web sites you can go on:

http://www.advocatesforchildren.net

http://www.eap.partners.orglWorkLife/Domestic_Abuse/DV_Resources/Related_ Websites.asp