Victims become survivors or die
I was bullied
I was sexually assaulted
I was a human punching bag
I survived to tell my story
Many do not
They die
Last night I told a friend
I would rather be hit
Get it over with
And carry on
Rather than face the psychological fallout
Of mind games, manipulation and “power and control tactics”
Always walking in fear
Always walking on eggshells
And people continually tell me to go to the Police, friends and family
I face this
I am not heard
I am not seen
I am not believed
I am told it is my fault
I have to change
I have to avoid
I have to hide
I am told to get over it
Easier said than done
I wrote a poem back in the 1990’s
Human Punching Bags
We are all part of the problem
Written by Adriana Wilhelmina van Altvorst