At a certain point in life, you realize there’s no one and nothing to be afraid of. But becoming emotionally and mentally resilient takes time—it costs you a good portion of your life.
As kids, we were often told, “Don’t be scared, just tell the truth.” But for many, the truth was usually followed by the father’s belt or the mother’s rolling pin. That lesson—burned into your skin, not your memory—taught most of us that silence or a lie was the safer choice.
Back then—and for many, even now—parents, schools, and society believed discipline equaled violence. And this belief wasn’t just accepted; it was glorified. Our language is filled with sayings like: “Spare the slap, spoil the child,” or “Beat your daughter, or you’ll regret it later.”
Long story short, beating has become embedded in our national identity—a twisted pillar of parenting.
This model is built on fear, not trust. Submission, not confidence. It creates homes where obedience matters more than emotional safety.
Psychologists and educators can better explain how broken this model is. If I try, I’ll be labeled a traitor. So let’s move on—to a darker truth: the silence of victims of abuse.
According to UNICEF, every four minutes, somewhere in the world, a child is killed as a result of violence.
Roughly 90 million children alive today have experienced sexual violence.
Globally, around 650 million girls and women—one in five—have been victims of sexual abuse in childhood. Of these, more than 370 million were raped or sexually assaulted.
About 50 million girls aged 15–19—one in six—suffered physical or sexual abuse by a partner in just the past year.
Between 410 and 530 million boys and men—roughly one in seven—have been sexually abused as children.
Two-thirds of children globally—1.6 billion—face regular physical and psychological abuse at home.
Here’s a horrifying detail: boys make up the majority of children killed due to violence. Three out of every four child victims of fatal abuse are boys.
These statistics are not just numbers. Each one is a child. A human life, cut short.
And yet, this isn’t even the full picture. Most victims never speak. Because they’re afraid. Because they don’t know what’s happening. Because their sense of personal boundaries was shattered long ago. Older girls and women fear stigma. Boys suffer even more silently—caught between trauma and society’s expectations of masculinity. Many take their own lives. The abuser continues—unpunished.
Why?
Because society often blames the victim.
If a woman is raped, it’s her fault. She must have dressed wrong, acted wrong, existed wrong. “A decent woman wouldn’t have been in that situation,” they say.
This twisted logic always protects the predator. It keeps victims silent for years, even decades. Many survivors eventually speak—but by then, they’ve endured repeated trauma. Worse still, their own families and friends often refused to believe or protect them.
Consider a global exhibition called “What Were You Wearing?” which showcases clothing and testimonies of sexual assault victims. The idea is simple: to destroy the myth that a victim’s outfit causes the crime. The message is clear—abusers don’t care what you wear. What matters to them is fear. And silence.
Now, let’s talk about the real reason I’m writing this. A recent case in Azerbaijan made headlines—a 64-year-old man was arrested for committing indecent acts against a 4-year-old girl. Social media erupted. And yet, many comments—from both men and women—blamed the child.
Yes. They blamed a 4-year-old girl.
I wonder—if the same people saw a 64-year-old man do this to their own daughter, would they still blame the child?
We need to teach our kids that no one—not even a parent—has the right to touch their body without consent. That no uncle, neighbor, teacher, or elder has a right to “be affectionate” inappropriately. That they must speak up if anything feels wrong.
We also need to teach them that if their own parents won’t listen or believe them, they should go to the police.
And here’s the hard truth: if a parent prioritizes public opinion over their child’s safety, they don’t deserve parental rights. Period.
This society must finally understand—children are human beings. Not property. Not dolls.
And one last message—if you’re reading this and have ever stayed silent about abuse you suffered, know this: it was never your fault. Never.
If you’ve survived, you are already a warrior. I see you. I believe you.
I’m sending you a hug.
