From Violence to Abuse

Where does abuse come from? Where does violence come from? The two are closely and dangerously connected to our country’s struggle that can only be defined by the two. Violence is abuse and abuse is violence. A lot of us might have experienced some sort of abuse at one point in our lives. Whether physical, mental, emotional, sexual or even just verbal abuse, all will have an effect on anyone causing the victim to apply this abuse to others. In other words, what is seen, heard or felt by a child will have an enormous impact of this human being’s life later on. It begins with cute childhood quarrels, and then to immature teenage fights, and then to what? The Columbine High School Massacre? The murder of Matthew Shepard?
Children whose parents abuse drugs live daily with fear, neglect and helplessness. Some don't survive; for those who do, the inner damage can last a lifetime. Ashley Bryan lied down on the dirty carpet of her dad's bedroom where she usually slept. The 10-...