DamagedGoods

Please don't turn away.

Don't cover your eyes. It won't stop it happening... it will only make it easier for it to happen.

Don't tell yourself it's not so bad. If you have to tell yourself that, it probably IS that bad.

Don't tell yourself someone else will call, step in, will take action. They're probably thinking the same thing of you.

Don't tell yourself it won't make any difference if you try to help. While that may be true, not doing anything is guaranteed to not help. People will spend endless amounts on lotteries for that one in a million chance they'll win; the odds are not nearly so high that your reporting abuse will bring nothing. Besides, nothing will change if we simply accept the unpalatable.

Look, see, feel. Know what evils exist. Know what people are capable of. Know what an innocent suffered. Know you can walk away when they can't. Know what truly deserves your outrage. If just knowing about it is awful for you, imagine having to live through it. Know someone or something is living it now. Know you can do something about it.

Honour their suffering, give it meaning, give it purpose beyond what the perpetrator took, it could be too late for anything else. In many cases, that's the only way you can help. Let it give you the courage to intervene the next time you see abuse taking place.

I know that what I am saying is nothing new, but it bears repeating as many times as possible.