Warning: Triggers for victims child 
sexual abuse.
Betsy was overweight,unkempt, and shunned by the other kids. “Everybody” knew she “did” it with Jimmy in his barn whenever he wanted to. She didn’t deny it, even though he called her a pig. When the home-economics teacher stepped out of class one day, Betsy told us her step-daddy got in bed with her whenever her parents had a fight. We were all repulsed, thinking she was “talking dirty.” He was known to be an alcoholic, frequently drunk in public. She told us he beat the whole family. She frequently bore bruises. None of us reported it to anybody. I was disgusted, avoiding her like the plague. Wild horses couldn’t have dragged that story out of me. Becky’s step-father despised her for her illegitimacy. The couple had two younger girls and a boy together. ,Who knows if they suffered the same abuse as Becky did
Life went on. I heard Betsy married and had children. Years later, she did prison time for molesting boys in her neighborhood. Who knows how many children were hurt? By the time she came out of prison, she was in very poor health, living out her life with her mother and a different step-father. What a shame no one was there for this sad child early on, including me.
nutsrok.wordpress.com 
Poor Betsy, how very sad.
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Brutal! You were only a child though. Don’t we see things differently as adults and shame on them for doing nothing. They are party to her future abuse.
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The adults that is. X
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A child is likely suffering today.
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As a parent, this was a tough one for me to read.
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I feel bad knowing I didn’t reach out.
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Brave story. Thank you.
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I was not a friend.
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That’s really sad although she was even talking about it. It is admirable that you confess your feelings so honest. But you were children too and did not know what to make out of it.
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Ino one reached out to her.
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Hope she finds a way to live in peace with the past. Did you ever talk to her later? I don’t know but perhaps it would help her to know, that it wasn’t forgotten. You even posted about it.
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She died not long after getting after prison. I never saw her again.
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So sorry about that!
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Me too.
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It’s very difficult to separate fact from fiction when children are that age. Perhaps we should give them the benefit of the doubt a little more often.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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This girl’s behavior was way out of line. She wasn’t hiding any shame.
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yes, very sad, and there are so many like her….
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So much pain and shame.
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This is a really sad situation, but really and unfortunately, a very common one… scared about what the repercussions for us would be, we shy away from stepping in somewhere, and possibly making that one bit of difference that was needed…
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I certainly did nothing.
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I appreciate that although you did nothing, you are able and courageous enough to acknowledge it openly even though you regret it and perhaps feel ashamed. It’s a good lesson for everybody. I hope you can accept your mistake, we all make them. Thanks for sharing.
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I do feel badly for not reaching out.
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But you weren’t to know… No one was…
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Poor Betsy. And there are so many like her.
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This is true.
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Heartbreaking the way people listened and did nothing. Didn’t even check it out. The times have changed, but are still not perfect. ❤ ❤
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At least reporting is mandated now.
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At least. No-one wanted to get involved in the old days.
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So very sad. I guess we have to remember to help in these situations, stop the problems in their tracks for those mistreated and those who will eventually be affected secondarily by that mistreatment.
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This was so wrong.
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This is is why it is now the law to report child abuse. For so many years it was swept under the rug, and victims were treated as villains. I’m so glad light has been cast on this, and I hope awareness has been spread enough to change it forever.
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Thank God for that!
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