Child Abuse Story From Guilberto

by Jilbert
(Canada)

School of Terror: 
I was born in Saudi-Arabia of Lebanese-Armenian parents. They decided to start a family in Saudi since Lebanon was torn by civil war. So at the age of 4, my parents sent me to Saudi school. From the start, I was categorized and rejected for my ethnic and religious backgrounds. The other kids would constantly harass and injure me in every possible way. No one really stood for my defense, especially the school staff. If anything, they encouraged kids to pick on non-Muslims, and there were only 2 at this school, me being one of them.

Besides that, the teachers were particularly violent with their ways of teaching. Students had to study well and always perform at the teacher's expectations level. If you failed to meet these expectations you were on for a good dose of verbal and physical humiliation in front of all your peers.

Each morning was a torture just to get out of bed and go to school. I was sick to my stomach, literally. My intestines and throat felt so tied-up that I never had breakfast in the morning because I felt like puking. I remember running away from the school on recess, but to go nowhere very far. When brought back I got one hell of a discipline. On my knees, facing the wall, being beaten with a stick on my feet and screamed at. My parents could do nothing because this was acceptable discipline in all Saudi schools.

I was 8 when we moved to Canada. My dad kept telling me that in this country there were no such things as beatings and that everyone was respectful. The first day of school a bully stuck gum in my hair and other kids spat on me. Because I was different, because I had become a little chubby boy.

I am 30 now, and I feel as if I am emotionally handicapped. I have destructive addictions and I engage in risky behaviors. My girlfriend and I started to consult with a therapist less than a month ago, and I believe I am heading towards a healing path.

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