Poetry - Secondary Victims by June Kavanagh

When an abuser is named

what we don’t realise is all the other people who now get victimised.

Its only human nature Whenever we’re in pain To look outside ourselves For someone else to blame

Although without intention this causes untold pain Countless innocent families are left with guilt and shame

Guilt by association is how some families feel mothers in particular get the raw end of the deal

It’s assumed they let it happen it’s believed they must have known no benefit of doubt or compassion ever shown

For mothers who are innocent we must try to understand How much they need to be believed and offered a helping hand.

Vilifying mothers will only make them weak For improvement what we need is to encourage them to speak

Because there are no answers this crime is unexplainable We gain no understanding which makes closure unobtainable

The families of abusers always seem to pay for the crime the abuser may get a sentence but the families do the time

It’s time we offered help to all now we know what’s involved Innocents are suffering that must be resolved

This crime leaves many victims and breaks many hearts With far too many innocents whose lives are torn apart

Think on this the next time you hear a story on the news There is more involved than what you see in a story of abuse