I was raised in a world of fear.
A place where nothing could be anticipated fully, and everything revolved around my Dad’s mood.
A world where religion was used as a bludgeon and a weapon, not as a comfort and safe place.
A world where the illusions that flitted across my dad’s paranoid mind had to be accepted as reality.
A world where everyone else was viewed as suspect, to be held at arm’s length and criticized.
I got free. I found freedom because people in my life took the time to win my trust, to listen, to show me what love was. And my life is never easy, and the scars will never fully go away, but freedom is worth it.
But not everyone is free. And while there are still children held in chains of abuse, domestic violence and abusive religion, I will be found fighting for everyone to find freedom.
I don’t know where to start, but as a first step I have started a blog on Facebook called Emmanuel’s Daughter, where I can write about what I lived through, what continues to happen, and what everyone can do to make a difference to those who cannot speak for themselves.