My Childhood Sexual Abuse Story, Part 6

My brother Eric Lewis made this profound statement in January of 2012, in regards to what should be expected from my ex-brother-in-law who molested me. This statement also spoke to the pervasive nature of the patriarchal culture we were living in at the time. As I think about this statement today, and I think about the controversial ways my brother has chosen to handle what he believes are his responsibilities in this matter, this is what I've come to:

A crime as crude and dirty as this one; a cover-up as dark and unconscious as this one; a lifetime of living in a false reality; aftereffects that no one in the family could escape... The crime my ex-brother-in-law committed was extreme. Maybe the only way to change the course of a family is to blow it up in an equally extreme manner. 

Sometimes a house is so rotten, demolition is the only answer. Nothing of value can be built on foundations so deeply warped. 

(originally published January 28, 2012)

A lie lived over 25 years, and constructed into the foundation of the next generation, demands a confession of great architectural depth if repair is to avert demolition. - Eric Lewis

ORIGINAL COMMENTS

Anonymous, Jan 31 9:54am: Agreed. How many walk the earth thinking that what they saw in their family of origin or in families close to them was normal because they saw this behavior all the time? How many women are still blamed for marriage breakups when (adult) children and others only remember (or saw) the RESULT of the verbal or physical abuse - anger and frustration? Abuse doesn't happen (usually) in public. It is carefully hidden and the victim has to carry on with no protector or defender. Abuse to minors is doubly wrong as the children haven't been fully trained to defend themselves.