Abuse Story Competition Winners

The quality of entries was incredibly high and we have had a difficult task judging them but eventually we decided on the winners as detailed below:

1st prize £100 Sara Kaplinsky of Belize, Central America with her entry 'The Jungle'

2nd prize £50 Edward Brownlow of Kent with his entry 'Tears in my soul'

3rd prize £25 Stacey Thornton of Tyne & Wear with her entry 'See Me'

CONGRATULATIONS to all entrants for their courage to tell their story and we will be publishing some of these on the website to share with others

Unfortunately, we did not receive sufficient entries to enable us to compile an anthology but it was definitely a case of QUALITY over QUANTITY

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1st Prize: The Jungle

It’s dank and dark – I’m scared but there’s no-one to comfort me

The noises are scary, the screeches and screams

Nothing feels solid under my feet as I slip around

There’s a feeling of menace in the air which makes my blood freeze in my veins

The acrid smells make my nose and throat hurt and I want a drink

I look for my mum but she’s not here – I’m all alone

I’m so hungry I can feel my tummy rumble

I curl up in a ball so no-one can hear it or I’ll be easy prey

It hasn’t worked – I can hear the footsteps coming closer

Hear the rasping sounds which strike terror into my soul

Feel the rancid breath as I’m dragged from my hiding place......

The shabby clothes are torn from my body and I cower naked in his view

The snarls and grunts become more menacing until I’m unable to feel any more

I have no choice but to submit – he’s huge, hairy and terrifying

No match for a 5 year old so my mind blots out what happens next

I see the pattern above me and realise it’s not the leafy shade I pretend,

My body is broken and torn, not from brambles but the filth I am made to lie upon

The pain is searing through my body and mind but I cannot fight

How can I – when he says he has ‘the right’?

I’m not in a pleasant wooded jungle from story books

This hovel is the place I call home and the beast causing the pain

Is no wild animal seeking food or even fun,

This is my dad who does things to me an animal wouldn’t do to its young,

I want to escape – leave this foul place and simply die

This is no home.........it’s a jungle

Sara Kaplinsky

2nd Prize: Tears in my Soul

I’m torn up inside, can’t run and can’t hide

I’ve instigated meetings – and suffered the beatings

I’ve tried blocking out

But my pain is her gain

Why did she do it – what was it for?

She couldn’t have hated me very much more

As an adult I see her behaviour was wrong

I think that I knew this, even when I was young

She’d beat me with belts, sticks and items galore

I’d lie in a crumpled heap there on the floor

She’d kick me and punch me all over the place

She’d pull out my hair and spit in my face

From a boy to a man I made the transition

But still I am in such an awful position

“You’ve only one Mother” I hear people say

“You really must love her – you’ll lose her one day”

My heart aches with pain and sorrow and fear

I pray to whoever – that day is now near

I want her to perish, be removed from the Earth

Ten times less nothing is what she is worth

She stole all my childhood with her fists, feet and tongue

I’m a man on the outside but inside still young

I fight with my feelings, my morals and fears

Each day I cry a great river of tears

I’ve tried the forgiveness – it’s just not the same

This woman’s a Mother in nothing but name

Where love should be growing, there’s such a deep hole

All I am left with is tears in my soul

Edward Brownlow

3rd Prize: See ME

What do you see when you look at me?

The fat girl, the Sadsack, the Flump and a Lump

The girl you can pick on, abuse and misuse,

I’ll take all the jibes and I’ll laugh at the joke,

But deep down inside I’m shattered and broke

The heartbreak, the torture, the pain and the hurt,

The nightmare fear, no confidence, self-worth

No mirrors reflections, no photos to see,

I’m half of the person I wish I could be

I’m crying inside, I’m battered and broke

I’m trying to tell you, just listen to me talk...

I’m not a bad person, just tired and weak

I’m good and I’m kind,

Would give my last breath

Or the shirt from my back

So don’t walk on by me,

Stop and just think...

I’m not trying to change you,

Just give you a clue.

I am a fat person – that’s easy to see

But you’re not my worst enemy....

That person is ME

Stacey Thornton

To find out more about any of our abuse counselling services please contact ASCA on 0191 238 2130 - see how we can help you.