Quote of The Day

Friday, July 25, 2014

Paint Party Friday " Rise Up!"

 Paint Party Friday
Thank you Kirstin and Eva for featuring me this week.
It was a thrilling surprise! 

 I was always a vigilant parent warning with a whispered "Weirdo alert!" Educating my child in a non scary way of impending dangers in our midst! I watched for predators and encouraged my cupcake  to heed her intuition too!! It  gave her the ability to travel alone for business all over the country and overseas! 


Being a large breasted child, and I say child, because I was fully developed at nine!! I was a target for male predators. A very old extended family member attempted to molest me at ten. Even though I told on him, his wife died not knowing!

,

A male teacher kept pestering me to join his cross country running team. He gave me the "no-no" feeling. Later I found out I was right to feel as I had!



 A dentist fiddled with his apparatus on my chest in an attempt to fondle my eleven year old blooms. It was not my imagination, he moved it around too many times.  My insides were screaming no! Next time I brought my little brother and he asked why. I told him my mom sent him! I can only imagine what he had in store for me that time! I still wonder why mom sent me back in the first place!
I was twelve when an eighteen year old brother of a  friend offered to introduce me to things beyond my ken! I queried my dad hoping to understand what the boy meant. Dad originally explained the facts of life, so I felt safe to ask him anything. Even my forthright father was too embarrassed to answer my question. He told me    to come back in a few years he would explain it then!
 My Aunts married neighbor, a person she often traveled and socialized with held me too close as we danced at a house party. What stood between us was not fit for a thirteen year old. I was pretty disgusted!  I later found out he was known to  hang poolside ogling all the young girls!


 It's not usually stranger danger! It's always weirdo alert...and they can be and mostly are, people we know! Most people are naive to the predators in their midst! 
My immediate family believed me, other relatives didn't understand my ire!
I've had a boss who hugged all the women, groped a few and watched our rears as we bent over! The women were afraid to say anything, knowing life would be miserable if they did. When it happened to me I was afraid to tell my bad tempered partner!
It happens everywhere...at work, in schools, at relatives, in churches, at home, during sleepovers, in camps, by people you would never imagine...  The one thing we rarely know about people are their bedroom habits!
  It's an expensive mistake to be naive when it comes to our children! Rise and educate children! Forewarned is forearmed! It kept my child safe and I hope Cupcake is vigilant with her children!

As I created this post I couldn't help but wonder 
why I was such a victim at such a young age!
Have you ever  had that No-No feeling about a person that people would never suspect?

33 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Yes, this happens all the time - good theme! Great post, and congrats on being featured this week, Valerie

Šolanje na domu-Waldorf said...

I am actually very proud of you that you told people about your experiences at that age. I remember being ashamed and kept it all to myself. But I wasn't a match to anything like you as I was a quiet kid that gave of a cold vibe so nobody picked on me. :) Love your portraits!

froebelsternchen said...

Good that you write about this... it is happening so often!
I was lucky that I was a child and teen that never made such experiences..as young woman I had some experiences ..but I was happy enough (maybe strong enough )to say no! in a charming way..so I can really say..happy me .. I told my girl to say no and to tell me such things and as I know her she is the same character as I was...
She tells me all ..not all.. now she is 13 and has some things she will hold private she told me..but the really heavy things she always share with me...
I am happy about and hope that all girls and women in this world have a chance to grow up without misconduct!
Wonderful ARTWORK to your article!
Happy PPF!

Unknown said...

Well done Giggles for this post. It takes courage to write and talent to illustrate your thoughts! Thank you for sharing!

http://agagasiniak.blogspot.co.uk/

Lorraine said...

i like the woman sitting down..very good and the quote of the day at the top is inspiring

My name is Erika. said...

Congrats on being chosen as the cover art for this week's Paint Party Friday. Love your girls. The top one looks like a very sexy Jackie O-at least the outfit! You have a great unique style with portraits I really enjoy.

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

With my wife being a counselor and me being an educator, we knew to teach our girls about the sacredness of "private" parts since they were infants. We even used proper names to avoid confusions when they were referring to them. We have also developed a very open dialogue so they feel comfortable discussing touchy issues about sex with us. (Naturally, they go to their mother more that with me.) However, I feel its important to mention that boys are also vulnerable to these vicious sexual predators. With these predators its often about power not sexual preference. In addition, they can sometimes be women, and like you said, they're often someone the family knows. Although there are less numbers of boys reporting sexual attacks, there are also statistics that show that boys are less likely to report them. They either have feelings of emasculation, or feel they brought it on themselves.

Anyway, congratulations on being featured at PPF. You truly deserve it , my friend. Blessings!

Faye said...

Love your style of art and your colors, both the originals and the altered.

No, I've never had that feeling about anyone. Either I am terribly naive or have never been in those situations. I'm glad you were close to your dad and could confide in him. I was a very late bloomer, unattractive and on the fringes. I don't think the vilest predator would have had the least interest in me. I was an unhappy teen because I wasn't popular like those "developed" classmates. At least with the experiences you had you were wise enough to warn your children. Those of us who were sheltered may not have done as well at warning our children.

Unknown said...

great message to me as a mom. I have never had the no no feeling. I was very sheltered and perhaps lucky. there are a lot of weirdos out there . We must protect our little ones -Kat

Christine said...

I was riveted to your post today, it is all so true what you are saying. All the more when you are 'endowed', (I'm not, fortunately or unfortunately)! But I will warn my daughter although she is pretty smart about these things I'm betting. And wonderful art to go with it all.

GlorV1 said...

Love all your ladies, excellent work and your topic is a must for all to read. Congrats. on being featured, way to go!
gloria

Linda Kunsman said...

Your lady paintings are really wonderful!!! It took courage for you to speak up as a child and how intelligent of you at such a young age to really listen to your intuitions. Thank you for sharing a most important subject matter. I have gone thru some "this isn't right" things but never let anything get to where a line was crossed because I had to look out for myself.
Congrats on being the cover girl today at PPF-So well deserved my friend!

bellefrogworks said...

Great theme and wonderful paintings. We have told my grandson to run, not walk if anyone comes near his "private" areas. And, of course, not to go anywhere with anyone unless we have told him in advance. All that being said - all those guys just saw a chance to molest a young girl who wouldn't tell. I really love that woman with the pillbox hat and the woman sitting under her.

Deepa Gopal said...

I didn't want to miss your post, so I am here and good that I didn't miss it! Very apt for today's time!!! Again, as some of them have already mentioned, it takes courage... a lot of courage to open up and write like what you wrote. Kudos to you!!! Kudos to all those women who stand up!!!
I always encourage my daughter to talk openly to me and I keep repeating about 'No-body touch'.I think she speaks almost about everything.
So sorry that you had to undergo all these turbulence early in life.
Loads of love and hugs
Deepa
http://www.deepazworld.blogspot.in/

Carol said...

Congrats on being featured!!!! Your post was right on target once again. It's the Weirdo's of this world that make me tremble and they are often too close to home.

sheila 77 said...

What amazing subjects you talk about and illustrate with such honesty. I can't say this sort of thing has bothered me, anytime a "suggestion" was made it was relatively easy to shake off with a look or a comment, or to ignore.
I seriously love your illlustrations here, beautiful colours and skilful drawings.

Anonymous said...

this is a post everyone should read, well written! The painting is amazing as always but the message is even stronger, I was lucky to not have this happen as a child but have had a few run ins with creeps as an adult, thank you for sharing this, you are and inspiration, actually thats what I said on my comment at the Paint Party Friday site!

Unknown said...

Giggles, totally! I worked at a pet clinic and the owners and vets were such male chauvinists. Harassing all the employees. The owner was a lawyer who put a gag order on all of us? Who knows, he was probably lying but we didn't know. Scary place. I looked like a 10 year old at age 20 so they didn't do much to me. I was lucky? Have things changed since the 80's? Hope so....

Sirkka said...

congratulations! Love your colors in paintings, and your wise words!

Margik said...

Congrats on being featured at PPF. I adore your fantastic works, with beautiful colours and original drawings. Great post as usual, I like how you have written this article, I admire your honesty.
Hugs, Mar

Laney said...

I always love seeing your colorful art. Glad you were able to speak up as a child! I suspect many people are not able to do that.

Anonymous said...

Such men (people) make me feel so disgusted, poor you, luckily you could speak up already as a child. It's sad to think about all the other children who are vulnerable, scared and who think they are self to blame for being molested.

Such heavy loads we carry into adulthood.
Then we break up.

Take care.

PaintingWrite said...

Congrats on being the featured artist and wow on your post. I love that you are so up front and direct about this even when it happened to you at such an early age and so many times! That's the problem isn't it, we're often too ashamed or embarrassed to speak to either at the time or even afterwards-good in you for doing both.

Kokopelli said...

Yes, I had. And I was right. Thanks for sharing! Happy PPF!

Victoria said...

Hi Giggles, wanted to stop by and congratulate you on being featured..shine on..!! And powerful post and topic..beautiful art..loving your new works! Thanks for sharing your experiences..too many out there are hurt in this way by others, it is always good to talk and share and tell one another about it..it creates healing and awareness!
Hugs
Victoria

Abigail Davidson said...

Congrats on being featured!

Beth Niquette said...

Wow! I was fascinated by your story and love your artwork. What a wonderful writer you are--and your artwork is marvelous.

My daughters have always had what we call our "creep-o-meter!" I'm so grateful for that inner alarm we all have.

You,my dear are an amazing woman.

denthe said...

Wow, you have had quite a few creepy experiences.... Good on you to speak out about it. Too often children are too ashamed to say anything, or get threatened if they dare tell someone. I find it very hard to find a balance between warning my children and scaring them ...

DVArtist said...

I always am impressed by your art and your posts. Yes it seems that young girls and boys have never been really safe. Then I think of all the kids who don't have parents, living on the streets, sent from other countries to come here alone and..... alone.
Great post.
Nicole/Beadwright

Silke Powers said...

Oh, Giggles, what a post!! You are so courageous to share this and so eloquent in your words. Like you I always had a very strong intuition about people and a super strong sense of what was ok and what was weird. I was in a couple of situations as a child that could have ended badly, but my intuition and speaking out saved me. Still now, I listen to my intuition when it tells me there's something off about another person. I've not been wrong yet...

Your art is gorgeous. I love those women you paint. And congrats on being featured on PPF!! Well deserved!!

Hugs, Silke

Janet said...

Congrats on being featured! You deserve it. Your art is so free and expressive...just as your words are. You're a multi-talented woman!

PiaRom said...

Your paintings are so precious this week and they tell a story on his own :) and congrats for beeing featured, wuhu!! I havn´t join PPF for a while, because I couldn´t handle all the comments, if so, I would have no time to paint...snieef ;) hopefully this change back soon ...♥ Conny
Piaroms Art Journaling

jane coquillon said...

Yes! So good to hear (or read) someone being so open and honest about this!
I think that most predators will go after a child they know and have access to, and it's sooo important to prepare our kids to be aware of the dangers.

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