I witnessed Something today...People Approving Abuse.

I witnessed something today. Something amazingly simple yet so profound. I witnessed child abuse.

Abuse is a topic that hits close to home for lots of people, myself included, which is why it really rattles my nerves. I personally have zero tolerance for it. End of story. But an experience I had opened my eyes to something I had not really noticed before. Perhaps I feel compelled to share this story because you don't actually often see abuse happening right before your eyes. Or perhaps it was the mere alarm and disappointment I had by people's reactions.

It's strange to think that you could experience something so unsettling when doing something as simple as going out to a movie. My husband and I experienced just this.

A father has his son cornered against the wall. Tears are in the 14-year old's eyes, though you can tell he's trying to hold them back. He looks frightened. Fury, anger; a power-trip rages in the Father. He says he's going to smack the child across the face.

People are standing around; watching, knowing that it's wrong, but are doing nothing.

Apparently this display has been going on for twenty minutes by the time we enter. Twenty minutes of people watching a Man verbally abuse and threaten his son, and, essentially, approving it.

(Cory--my husband):

What is everyone scared of? I know I'm not. I took a stand today. I hope I made the right call. Perhaps it wasn't my call to make. I did what I hope someone would do for me in the same situation. I know if I were to close my eyes and pretend like it didn't happen I might as well be the criminal.

Part of a note he wrote regarding the situation, and how he was the only one to actually confront the Man. He called the man on his actions, told him that what he was doing was not OK. He tried to do something about it, took a stand against what everyone else was just standing and silently but blatantly watching.

Watching abuse happen and doing nothing is telling the abuser that you are supporting their actions. Not only are you telling the abuser that it is OK to be verbally abusive and threatening, but you are telling the abused that as well.

We are the voices of our society. And we can not keep supporting this behaviour. Putting a stop to Abuse is like anything else, you have to have a voice. And you have to say No.

Child abusers need to know that it can not and will not be tolerated. I did something today that I hope will inspire change. Maybe not for everyone but maybe for one.

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