Can words hurt as much as, or even more
than, physical pains? As a victim of bullying, I truly believe they can. An
image I found on Google depicts an arm protruding from the gaping mouth of a
man and punching a woman in the face. This clearly sends the message that words
can, indeed, hurt just as much as physical violence; verbal abuse is just as
damaging as physical abuse.
While I have never been “abused,” I
have been bullied and I know that sometimes, if phrased ever so eloquently,
words can sting just as much as a slap from a cold hand. I liked to eat when I
was younger; it was my favorite pastime. My schoolmates didn’t seem to share
the same love and appreciation for the magnitude of my girth that my family did
and kids can be brutal. I experienced everything from name-calling to exclusion
and gossip. To this day, I still work to be comfortable with my body and to
remain confident in myself and my abilities. If someone had punched me, they
would have been punished immediately because it was clear that violence would
not be tolerated in my elementary school; however, because they were hitting me
with words, my persecutors were able to hide behind saying “it was a joke!” and
the comfort that I was “a tattletale” and “a crybaby.” Although bullying is not
necessarily the same as abuse, they have similar affects. In a world where
gender equality is constantly evolving, abuse is ever-present and we must
remind ourselves that it exists in many forms and be on the lookout for warning
signs. The form of abuse is irrelevant; the disastrous effects that result are
inevitable, unless we take a stand and protect those in need.
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