The shame of it is
I thought I asked for it.
That it was my fault.
I was only four years old.

The shame of it is
I stuffed it all in my body.
I carried the perpetrators’ filth
Deep inside my body.
And then I forgot.

The shame of it is that
By keeping it a secret
The perpetrators got away.

The shame of it is that
I am not alone.
I am one in every four women.

The shame of it is that
More often than not the perpetrator
Is an adult member of the family.
Yet, most families,
Even when they know,
Keep the crime a secret.

A family silenced by shame is
Unknowingly backing the perpetrator.

The shame of it is
Whenever a perpetrator gets away,
Society fails
To protect an innocent child.

The shame of it is
This crime against humanity is committed
On a frightened child
Somewhere in the world,
Every time we blink.

As for me, I choose to break the silence.
I’m no longer marching to the
Hypnotic tune of shame.

NB. If this blog post has raised issues for you, please seek support from either Life Line  or Beyond Blue  in Australia.