Abuse starts at home 99% of the time. My father used to fly into fits of rage, often coaxed out by my sister, on purpose, but she was still a child. And he should never have been that drunk. He should never have been so absent that inducing ager was the only way to get his attention.
I was roughly 8 years old when one night, it got really bad. He and my sister got into an argument about the radio.
She was 13.
As he was punching her to the ground I escaped from my hiding spot under the bed, and ran across the road to ask for help. I was scared. Terrified. I thought he was going to kill her.
My neighbours didn't want to get involved in our "private matters"
At 8 years old I stood my ground and made them let me use their phone. I called the police.
I was horrified that the neighbours treated me like that and refused to see the emergency. They acted like it was not their problem.
And I watched my father being dragged off in handcuffs and thrown into the back of a police van.
That is a fucked up memory for a child. I felt like I betrayed my father to save my sister's life.
Bombazine, given to me by my cousin Adrienne Tilley-Lefèvre before they left for Australia, was my emotional support bear, before I even knew what that was.
Despite teasing at school, I had him with me until I was about 10 or 11.
I still have him.
#tracychapman #behindthewall #AbusedChildren #16DaysOfActivismAgainstGenderBasedViolence
