Show Stopper

Let me set the scene. My sister, Steph, and I are at friends' (Jeff and Becky) house playing cards. This particular weekend, Jeff's mother was visiting and had joined in on the game. During the game, Jeff's mother asked my sister where she worked. Steph told her about working at the local Sheriffs department. After 5 or 10 minutes of lively conversation, Jeff's mother turned to me and asked what I did for a living.

"I work with children who have been sexually abused." I replied without hesitation, not even looking up from my cards.

Now I will usually sensor myself and say "I'm a victim advocate" or "I work with kids" or something less striking, if you will. But not this night. As the sound of the words I had spoken dissipated into the atmosphere there was total, complete, and abject silence. Not even the obligatory cricket dared to chirp.

After a few longer than normal seconds, I looked up at Jeff's mother and simply stated "Well, I know how to shut the conversation up, huh." At that point everyone just kinda did the uncomfortable now-what-do-I- do chuckle and life continued.

Now it isn't like my sister, Jeff, and Becky don't know what I do for a living. We have talked about it before. But for some reason, this night, it was different, maybe because Jeff's mom was there.

There shouldn't be secrecy about what I do for a living...I work with kids who have been hurt, most of them by someone they know, love, and trust. I work with families who have been blown apart by the selfish, egotistical, and inexcusable actions of one person. I work with them, I cry for them, and I...

...I want it to stop. So I will talk about it more. I won't hesitate in telling people what I do... "I work with people who have been sexually abuse, raped, and hurt." If they stop talking, maybe they will think. If they keep talking, maybe the will ask questions and learn.

Rape is a problem. A problem we can talk about. (KASAP campaign)