"275 MILLION"
By Olivia Zuniga
275 Million
*Dramatic, Crying Scream*
Does that sound like a scream someone would make on a roller Coaster? Does that sound like a scream of someone being surprised? Or the screams of fans at a stadium?
You probably didn’t agree with any of those statements, because that was a scream of a young girl, being afraid of her father. You know why? Because he was hitting her mother.
Many people, see there parents fight and argue, children and adults both see it. And many of them, see violence involved. I was one of those Children.
Things affect people, in ways that we don’t understand. Do you know, how many children commit suicide and do drugs and alcohol when they get older because of domestic violence in there home? They are six times more likely to commit suicide, and 50% more likely to do drugs and alcohol.
My father did not just hurt my mom physically and verbally, but he hurt me as well, but only verbally. My father would say things that the common bully would say. He would tell me that I am fat, that I had too many pores on my face, and that my grades were bad. But it wasn’t the insults that hurt me. It was me wanting to know why he hurt us the way he did. I would always wonder, why did he hit my mom? Why did he call me names? Why did he say he loves us, when he never acted like he did.
You can’t make someone terrible. You can’t do it. Yes, you can make someone happy or sad, but you really can’t make them a terrible person. In the family, out in public, my father tried to make my mom and I, look like the bad people. But one thing my father didn’t understand, was the bond between a mother and her daughter. He didn’t understand, how much a mother could love her child. (Smile). He will never get the pleasure, of me calling him dad. He is my father, but he will never me my dad.
My mom and I, obviously, are very close. Even after we left my father, we still continue to be close. 324,000 women in a violent relationship, are pregnant. And the victims are more likely to have trouble raising their children. But my mom, happened to not be one of those people that couldn’t raise her kids. She raised kids pretty good. (Smile)
I haven’t mentioned, but I have a younger sister. She is 9 years old and vey strong individual. My mom had already left my father, a little after she was born. So my sister never grew up and saw our father the way I did. And in that way, I was jealous. She didn’t see the pain I saw. She didn’t hear the insulting names he’d say. But, my little sister is one of my best friends. So the other part of me will always be grateful, that she didn’t see anything I saw. She didn’t feel sad the way I did. She didn’t cry the way I did. She didn’t have scars, the way I did.
Children, that see domestic violence, are most likely to get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is also more commonly known as PTSD. PTSD is when, you get a certain vibe, or smell something, or taste something, or even touch something, that reminds you of something bad that has happened to you in the past. And it can put your body, to alarm, or shock.
I used to have PTSD. But, I’ve pretty much Grown out of it. My father would yell all the time. He would scream like crazy. So, i learned to be afraid of grown men screaming. All the time, when my family would get together and watch sports games, my uncles and grandpa and brother, would all scream at the television. And my mind, would freak out. So, I would curl into a ball, and I would go shake and cry in a a little corner, with my eyes wide open. (Shrivel and shake).
275 Million. Do you know what that number means? You probably have a pretty good guess. Those are the amount of children exposed to violence at home worldwide. 40 Million adults in America grew up living with domestic violence. It could be your teachers, or the doctors you just went to, or even your parents.
Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to clime a tree, it will will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” In this story, I am the fish. My father was the person judging me by my ability to clime a tree. And the tree, was his expectations. I hated that tree. Do know the worst thing though? Not one person in the entire world, would ever be able to reach the top of that tree.
Let me tell you know, we don’t ever want children feeling the need to clime a tree. I’m gonna tell you something, that will change your life. When you see someone upset, or you know there having a bad day, reach out (put left arm out) and take there hand (enfold hands).
Don’t people say that Actions speak louder than words? So go. Just go grab there hand. I’ve always believed people’s job in life is to improve the quality of life for others. So go and improve there’s. If you ask someone if there okay, you may win, you may lose, depending on there answer. But if you go and take someone’s hand (demonstrate), and just squeeze there hand, to let them know your there for them, you will win very single time. (Stop demonstration) These people have been waiting for love. You will show, that they are never alone, that a little girl can stop screaming, that a little child, can go home, without being afraid. That they can scream on a roller coaster out of fun. That they can scream with joy at a party. That they can scream at a stadium out of anger or happiness. That 275 Million people, can stop screaming.