Sylvia, an Abused Child Rescued and Healed
by Fr Shay Cullen
St Francis of Paola Resuscitating a Dead Child, Sebastiano Ricci, 1733
San Rocco, Venice [Web Gallery of Art]
[21 January 2016]
The fear of punishment and dire threats from the live-in partner of her mother kept 13-year old Sylvia from opening her mouth and telling that she was being repeatedly sexually abused. After four months of repeated heinous acts, she could not take and endure it anymore and thanks to a good, caring teacher in Subic, Zambales she opened it up after class one day.
“Mam, please I have something to tell you and ask help but I am afraid.”
“What is it? Come to the counseling room and tell me,” she said.
“Mam, it is Papa Virgel. He is doing things to me and my private parts hurt and he said he will kill me and my four sisters if I tell anyone and never to tell my Mama. I am so afraid, I don’t know what to do or who to tell, where to run. I want to run away.”
“Didn’t you tell your mama about this?” she asked
“No Mam, every time I try to say something about Papa hurting me, she becomes angry and tells me not to speak and that I am a bad girl to say anything against Papa.”
Sylvia began to cry and the tears ran down her face and the good teacher wiped them away.
“Don’t worry, you are doing the right thing to tell me. You are not to blame for what he did to you I will get help for you. Just go home, tell your mama you are not feeling well and stay at home tomorrow and help will come very soon.”
Full story here on Preda.org