If you have never been in a situation were you have suffered through abuse or have never known someone who has let me explain something to you. You have two options in that situation: die or survive. Sometimes I wish I had been brave enough to come forward earlier with what happened to me but I feared exactly what this child went through. I feared no one would believe me, I feared people would blame me, I feared people pointing out my acting out behavior as reason not to believe me. I feared that what one of my abusers told me over and over .. " no one will believe you...you will destroy this family..."would come true. I felt alone and full of shame and guilty and scared. What I wouldn't have given for someone to realize what was going on and save me. It is so very difficult to remain positive when injustices occur over and over and no one wants to stand for the victim. No one wants to stand for the helpless, hopeless or hurting, especially if it involves rocking the boat. I believe there is good and I believe people have the ability to see the wrong and make it right. I believe people can keep a level head. I believe people want to do the right thing. I believe people have the ability to see past who people are and what they do outside of their home and realize that we all have a responsibility to protect the innocent, stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves, and respect the fact that we do not know everything. Yes, there are false accusations and there are those who try to take advantage, but honestly, as someone who has been there....I wish people could understand the effect feeling like no one believes you or feeling like no one will protect you or support you can have on a person. Abuse murdered my spirit for a very very long time. I did things people would not believe I did but I was sick. I needed support. I needed people to rally around me and support me. I didn't need people dividing and agruing, I needed a hug...compassion...understanding...someone to stand up with me and believe me and try to help me. My point in this long rambling is: abuse and bullying can have long term effects and whatever can be done to protect a victim should be done, no matter who the accused is. People in a position to help, should do what is within their power to help and not find reasons to hide under a rock and pass accusations back to the victim. There are two sides to every story, yes, and everything needs to be heard. BUT people need to realize that even if a "victim" is accusing and it is unfounded, there is some issue there anyway that needs some compassion and understanding.