As part of our 16 Days of Activism series, one of our Trauma Ambassadors, Honor Hope, has written a poem about a child’s perspective of domestic abuse.
Content warning – please be aware that this poem mentions domestic abuse, which some people may find triggering. Do not read unless you feel comfortable to do so.
Domestic Abuse from the Eyes of a Child
I can still see her face
All swollen and red
So relieved to see it
I thought she was dead
The bangs and crashes
Shaking the whole house
As we hid under the stairs
Quiet as a mouse
Frightened to breathe
Or make a stir
Just still, like a puppet
What was he doing to her ?
If we couldn’t see it
If in another space
We dreaded what we would find
Once he had left the place
As children so small
There was nothing we could do
To protect her from beatings
Face turning black and blue
Throwing her over his shoulder
Slam her to the floor
Phone cord round her throat
She can’t take any more
Silence
At last he’s gone
For that split second
The sun it shone
Hearts racing
Trying to look after mother
Children like nurses and counsellors
Unlike no other
Tiny hands
That reach out to her
Wide teary eyes
Still in a blur
She finally left
And we had to stay
2 years passed
I cried for her every day
It was not her fault
She had to go to survive
He would have killed her
There is no doubt in my mind
He kept us out of spite
To punish her more
As unhappy as I was
It was easier than before
I still to this day
Jump at the smallest sound
A raised voice
Makes my heart pound
I carried guilt
Right through adulthood
“I was a wimp
I was no good”
I have left that behind now
I was a child,
Timid and scared
Of this animal so wild
But I am stronger than I thought
Braver than I knew
I saw things no child should see
But I came through
Honor Hope
Trauma Ambassador
If you would like to access support around any of the issues mentioned in this post, or to share your own lived experience, give the Healthwatch Essex Information & Guidance Service a call on 0300 500 1895, email [email protected] or text/WhatsApp on 07712 395398.
If you would like to find out more about the Trauma Ambassador Group and our work, you can find out more here.