Sickening Scenes

by Hayley Barber
(Solihull)

It has been a very long time since I last posted on here. The trial of little Khyra's parents has recommenced and more evidence has been heard from some of the kids who fell under the cruel spell of these evil excuses for parents. It emerged that the older kids were also subjected to the horrendous abuse that young Khyra sufefred, made to stand in a pair of boxers in front of a fan that was turned on. The cupboards and fridges were full of food yet the children had to share just a cup of water and a bowl of rice. If any of them acted up they were punished by exclusion from the measley food. Sometimes locked in a shed.

What could little Khyra have done that was so bad as to be locked up indefinitely, starved until she died?

Is it some sort of sociopathic behaviour that makes some parents behave in the way that they do towards their children? During my thankfully short bus ride I witnessed a mother with her young daughter probably about two years old at the most. The little girl had been allowed out of her buggy for the duration of the bus journey, but they were getting close to their stop as I got on. The little girl was fascinated by the bus seat next to her almost transfixed. Her mother had probably asked her to get into the buggy, but going on what I saw I fear it was more of a snapped order. Said toddler did not want to get back into her buggy, and her mother was losing patience. She grabbed her little girl by the arm picked her up and tried to drag her into her buggy. The buggy fell backwards and the mother still held her daughter somewhat viciously by the wrist. The poor child was practically dumped on the floor like a little rag doll while the evil excuse for a mother righted the buggy, which had sent a whole load of things skidding across the floor. It was sickening enough as it was, but the woman's words to her now very distressed toddler were so much worse. Grabbing the poor child again, this time a bit more dignified, under both her arms, she plonked the poor girl into the buggy, asking her "Why can't you just get in like a normal person?"

Is this what parenthood is coming to? Children treated like rag dolls if they play up, used as weapons in relationship break ups?

My older brother, while I will never condone what he did to me and another teenage girl, is having all manner of trouble seeing his eldest daughter. Her mother is not even allowing her to receive gifts from us. S is just five years old and is not allowed to talk to her father, acknowledge her little half sister or receive gifts from her father. My brother's solicitor has advised that S be allowed to receive gifts from our side of the family. When my brother attempted to take some gifts round for S, her step grandfather on her mother's side was perfectly happy to allow S to have the gifts. when my brother got home he received a text stating that the gifts were on the front drive way. My mother received a text from my brother's ex saying that she didn't want her daughter left with someone who sleeps with young girls.

It was at this point that I reached a big decision. Considering where I was 15 years ago when the sexual abuse was going on, and the verbal, mental and physical abuse was starting in revenge for me going to the police - I was a mess and didn't want to know anyone or go any where - and how much I have recovered, I made a decision that could so easily haunt me for a long time, that my brother does not know anything about and one of my best friends does not exactly agree with. Reliving what added up to be almost 8 years of hell in a court of law and having it ripped to pieces by a defence lawyer would return me to the state I was in back then. How could I do that to myself and to my parents who have enough grief from not even realising what was happening under their own noses? I will never fully trust my brother with my two beautiful little nieces, or any child at that. It will never change what he did to me for such a long period of time if he goes to jail for it so what would be the use of reliving all that pain and all those memories? It is not for him that I have done this, or anyone. I have done it for me. At the time it felt like the right decision, I just hope it will always be that.