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2018 Note
Please remember myself and others were raising awareness of Child Abuse and its consequences in later life many years BEFORE it was shown on the news in recent years. I was trying to get better help for myself and others either for mental health issues and or child abuse since the 1990’s of which some letters here show that. I along with others campaigned on this and I know of others doing it years before me and people doing it years before them. Many people now (as of 2018 and a few years before) talk as if people only now are speaking out, that is not true and proof can be seen and easily dated showing myself and others doing it. We were not listened too, ignored and turned away. But despite this many of us raised awareness or at least tried to, years before it was shown in the mainstream media, of which I must say only happened because in the end they had no choice as the voices became many and the voices became louder. Some of us stopped or changed what we were doing due to what many may call a movement that was being used and reported in a way that in the end, turned people against us who spoke up and out about it.
We know of what did happen, has happened and is happening. We know some of the answers, which are actually quite obvious. What we need is people to act now for the good of the children and those adults who suffer in later life. We wait, due to the lack of care of those MP’s and others in authority and their clear unwillingness to just get on with it. Is there a hint of anger in these words? am I upset by it? you bet there is and rightly so. But that anger is born out of love and not hate and we shall overcome for sure, its just a matter of time.
As someone once said: TIME WILL TELL. And I say: TIME WILL TELL ON THEM.
Some text discussing some of my other poems on the subject of abuse / mental health.
Hi I’m just going to run through a few sentences on some of the things other poems / videos I’ve done touch on. Links will be included if it is something you wish to go into more. Maybe it has affected you in the same way.
‘You call me selfish’ too many can make you feel guilty about the effects abuse has and is having on you. They may also call you selfish if you stand up for yourself. ‘Our Silence’ describes the difference between the abuser and the abused when it comes to the silence surrounding child abuse. ‘Someone Once’ many of us have a mental block of our childhood, but even for those that don’t, many will still struggle to come to terms with what happened. The who am I? question can be hard to know Especially when you are so vulnerable and very unwell mentally (like me). I will add more in time here to.
Are things not going well for you? DONT beat yourself up for that.
REMEMBER THE FIRST STEP IS TO SURVIVE.
And if you can read this WELL DONE
For many years I used Bsafe1stalways accounts on Twitetr, Facebook and elswhere, a lot of them are now no longer running or used. Raising Awareness
Please be in a safe place AND be sure you are up to watching video poems
etc online on the subject of child abuse and or mental illness.
And if you’re not sure… then leave it for now.
The title of this website, tells you what’s the first thing to do…
BE SAFE
There are many ways to raise awareness of an issue and I have done a few of these. One of the ways I did it was through the videos I do of my writing. Although for those who don’t know, it is important for me to say, that I do write about other things, including other issues and normal everyday stuff. It is true that a sizeable amount JUST BEFORE, DURING & AFTER my breakdown, was about child abuse / mental health and its consequences in later life.
BEFORE my breakdown and since, I have written about many things and done some comedy too. The videos below are just a handful of the many videos specifically on these serious issues I have done. In the right sidebar you can also see my video poems (Here’s the direct links on Youtube: ‘So Sad WAS I’, ‘The Rock’, and ‘Our Silence’). I have spoken publicly in the past at child abuse rallies, on the radio (local and outside), on my own ‘B safe 1st always’ online radio show (shows that ended a few years ago), and at other venues on these issues.
Please bare in mind, that most of the videos below, are on the negative consequences of child abuse and mental health. I do have other videos of help to people going through it. But when you wish to raise awareness, it is often because you wish to expose problems, for change to happen. And so these types of videos say, this is how it is for some or many. And you obviously then ask for change / DEMAND for change. Whether that be for more help for people in distress or tougher sentences of pedophiles etc etc.
I have been lucky enough to have had my words shared by a few people and organisations like Samaritans charity for instance.
‘The World of silence and the silence you shame’
I have read this live from 2009 onwards. This is the ORIGINAL upload which had many firsts, as does the poem itself. It was the first video poem I did (in 2009). I will re do it one day, but even though it was done years ago, and I have learnt a lot more about making videos, I feel I could never really improve on it, the words are its power. It was the first poem on abuse I read publicly (Live at a child abuse rally in 2009, Parliament square, London). It was the first really strong poem on child abuse and its consequences in later life I wrote. It describes that world of consequences felt and endured in later life from others wrongfully, not just the original abusers. There is a live audio from a reading I did, in London in 2011 on the same youtube channel as the above video.
‘Johns Gone’
Dedicated to all the Johns, Jaynes, Samanthas, Bills and so many more, no longer with us.
‘The Art of being Lonely’
.
This is a very popular poem / video. Sadly too many recognise the loneliness this video poem describes. But far from be negative, at least others who see and hear it, KNOW they are not alone in feeling the way they do. It is also important to note, that many people who are lonely, are young. Loneliness can affect anyone.
‘Questionable Anger’
Anger is not negative in itself, it’s what you do with it, that decides that. My anger of or around child abuse, perpetrators or their apologists will always be and do not apologize for that, it’s actually a perfectly natural reaction. There is a live reading of this poem on the same youtube channel I did in 2012.
The very first ‘B safe 1st always radio show’
Here’s audio of the very first episode of the ‘B safe 1st always radio show’ from back in 2010 (there were a couple of testers of course). I started with a 30 minute LIVE show then moved onto a 1 hour LIVE show. The shows after airing live were then archived, I have since for security closed the account. They podcasts could then be listened to at any time and downloaded even through itunes. This episode was also shared by NAPAC on their website along with my picture “The Child and the Full Room”.
Ep 1 – THIS SHOW MAY CONTAIN CONTENT NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN. CHILDREN SHOULD SEEK CONSENT OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN BEFORE LISTENING TO THIS SHOW. AS THIS IS ON THE INTERNET PARENTAL GUIDANCE IS ALWAYS ADVISABLE. WE CAN NOT TAKE RESPONSABILITY FOR PEOPLE LISTENING TO THE SHOW WHO ARE NOT OF AN APPROPRIATE AGE. THANK YOU. The B safe 1st always radio show is about raising awareness of child abuse and its consequences in later life. Wanting to be a positive force in all the destruction that child abuse can leave behind. On todays show I will be talking about the UK charity NAPAC, looking at the book by Sue Atkinson ‘Breaking the chains of Abuse’, I will be reading a poem called ‘The Wishing Seat’ by Ruth and I will also be saying thank you to a few people . IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT DETAILS: all poems contained in this radio show are under COPYRIGHT conditions of the source. If you wish to use ANY of the poetry or writing contained within this show, please contact myself (John Harrison) first. Thank you.
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