Hello! Welcome to my blog! My name is Vashti and I’m a writer of fiction. I plan to entertain you with my short stories, articles and featured writers, artists and poets, but once in a while I will get serious about the issues I care about. I have zero tolerance for any kind of bullying or child abuse. I believe creating awareness of these issues is an important first step to stopping it. I also believe that the people who stand up to bullies and abusers are real life superheroes.
Don’t Turn Your Face Away
by Vashti Quiroz-Vega
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Don’t turn your face away.
Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know.
Open your eyes to the truth. It’s all around you.
Don’t deny what the eyes to your soul have revealed to you.
Now that you know, you cannot feign ignorance.
Now that you’re aware, you cannot pretend you don’t care.
To be concerned is to be human.
To act is to care.
Domestic Violence and Abuse: Signs of Abusive Relationships (Click on picture)
1 out of 7 children are abused . . .
How many do you know?
Child Abuse Prevention: What You Should Know and How You Can Help (click on picture)
Don’t turn your face away.
Domestic Violence Against Men (click on picture)
If my post were made of paper it would be wet with my tears. Have you ever confronted a bully? If you saw a woman beating up a man would you interfere?
Tags: Bullying, Child Abuse, domestic violence, Don't Turn Your Face Away, human, poem, Superhero, Vashti Quiroz-Vega
Powerful post.
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Thank you Trent. 🙂 I feel strongly about this subject.
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Hi Vashti, It also angers me when I hear these stories. Sometimes people portray happy family lives in public, so we will never suspect the horrors that occur in their homes.
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You’re right Michelle. To some people appearances are more important than their own well-being but for others it’s fear that’s keeping them from telling others what’s going on. Each picture here is linked to a site that can help us read the signs of domestic violence and child abuse.
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Great post Vashti. I think abuse goes on far more than we all know.
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That’s exactly true. If we are to believe the statistics than at least one child we know is being abused in some way and that breaks my heart. 😦
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Sad reality, Vashti.
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Yes, it is. 😦
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Well done Vashti. It has to be brought into the open and not hidden behind closed doors any more. Any bullying is too much bullying. There’s no excuse for violence like this.
I knew you were a wonderful person.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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Thank you David. You’re right there is no excuse for any type of bullying. Aw, I appreciate the kind words. 🙂 *Hugs & Kisses*
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Strong stuff today. Very good post.
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Thank you. I know it’s difficult for some people to face this kind of reality but every so often you have to remind them that this is going on and it may be close to home.
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Thank You, Vashti, for this valuable and very necessary offering.
Best Wishes
john
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I’m happy to do it, John. Thank you.
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A very powerful post, Vashti. I wish there was a way we could all do more to stop this abuse…
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Reblogged this on Anita & Jaye Dawes.
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If you have a young child, you see how they look at you. Like you are bigger than a movie star. To betray that love is monster like. Just as it is to be bully and abuse anyone…or animals.
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I completely agree. Kids do look up to us. That’s why when someone they love and trust abuses them it affects them for the rest of their lives.
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Very powerful words, Vashti, and I am so much behind you in what you say. I also feel the same way about people (if we can even call them that) who are cruel to animals. These people should face a heavy jail sentence.
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Hi Hugh! Thank you. I knew you would. Oh, that’s a whole other issue but I feel just as strongly about it, and you’re right, there should be much stiffer punishment for animal abusers. After all, animals feel fear, sorrow, and pain just like we do. It’s hard for me to even think about it.
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I find bullying completely and utterly sickening and I cannot even believe that it happens. It’s absolutely disturbing to me! 😦
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Hi GiGi! I know exactly how you feel. The sad part is that some parents condone this behavior from their children. They figure that it’s better to be a bully than to be bullied. That’s ignorant. It’s better to be a good person.
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Such an important reminder to all. We shouldn’t let abuse happen. Report it! I was an abused woman, myself. If I see abuse, I will report.
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Hi Mary! I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m glad that you have the courage to report abuse. If more people report abuse things wouldn’t be as bad. Thank you. 🙂
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Wow. What a great post!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
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Thank you Jess! ❤
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Dear Vashti,
I feel lucky to have visisted you! I get furious at such issues quite often…
Although these inhuman acts exist around all of us, people chose to accept them as a course of life (SO WRONG!!)
The wya you’re putting this point forth (the manner, the tone), it’s so impactful I cant explain…..GREAT GREAT JOB!
God bless you, really! :):)
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Thank you Shruti. I feel just as lucky to have met you. I guess I’m tired of people beating around the bush, sugar-coating, and turning a blind eye to this very important issue. It’s time to stop avoiding the evil that, like you said, is all around us. We have to step up. Thanks again. 😀 xx
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It’s indeed around all of us
But you are doing your bit wonderfully:)
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Thank you Shruti. Thats nice to know. 🙂
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I agree with what’s been said. I also love how you bring up women beating on men. Too often, men don’t speak up and bystanders won’t step in. I myself would be quicker to act if I saw a man hit a woman than vice versa. I’m not proud of that, but I acknowledge it to change and grow. Thank you for speaking out, spreading more awareness, and providing more access.
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You’re very welcome Izzy. I have to admit that I would be quicker to act if I saw a man hit a woman too. I think that although there are women who physically abuse men there’s probably more women who emotionally and psychologically abuse men which can be just as bad.
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Another great point! Very wise of you to explicitly state that abuse isn’t just physical and that no form of abuse is better or worse than the others.
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It’s also sad to know that many do report abuse, but they aren’t given the attention they deserve. Overlooked, left for another day. A day too late.
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Hi Izzy! That’s a very good point. And that’s another reason why some people don’t report abuse at all.
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It’s a snowball effect 😦
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Often bullying can be so much more than physical – and talking about it is the first step.
Younger children who bully, from my experience, often don’t know better. It’s learned behaviour, or they don’t know how to manage their emotions, or it’s reaction to the insecurity they feel.
Adults need to take on more responsibility. We need to be people we want our children to be, and as you said, to raise awareness so that victims of bullying don’t ever feel like it’s their fault.
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I agree, Zee! Parents need to teach their children early that bullying is not accepted behavior. Many adults believe that being bullied or bullying is part of growing up but nothing could be farther from the truth. Some kids don’t get to grow up because of bullying and abuse. 😦
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Yup! Though I know it’s in every school in New Zealand – I’m sure it would be similar in the States?
Perhaps a better way to see it is that bullying is not acceptable, and dealing with bullies, as well as not becoming one yourself, is part of growing up.
It’s interesting, a lot of the kids who were the biggest bullies in classes I taught didn’t identify as one. They seriously didn’t think their behaviour was bullying. There’s a lot of good in schools, of course, but a lot still needs to change.
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Yes, you’re right. Bullying is part of every school here in the US as well. Sad but true. 😦 I guess small children need to be taught what bullying behavior is so that they’ll understand not to do it. I think educational programs, cartoons, and skits done in school could help but parents have to be the #1 source.
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Yes – things in school *help* but parents and siblings are the biggest influence.
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Wow Vashti very powerful images and words. Thanks for the share 🙂
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You’re very welcome, Mari! Thank you for the visit and comment. 😀
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