Why Summer is the Most Dangerous Time for Abused Children: And How You Can Help

Do you realize that an abusive parent is inescapable in the summer and that children bear witness to more assaults in the summer, both emotional and physical, because they don’t have the safe-haven of school and someone who should report? In what will be a very powerful story, NY-based children’s advocate Steve Simpson can recall and discuss his parents saying the following:

  • “Let me make this perfectly clear, you little shit…I didn’t want you when you were born and I certainly don’t want you now!”
  • “Why did God curse me with a freakin’ moron like you? You are stupid and lazy and absolutely no-freakin’-good!”
  • “See this fight we’re havin’!? Do you? This is your fault. I NEVER fought with your father before you came along.”

A child should never hear words like that…ever. Yet children in every city in every state hear them every day. Author and children’s advocate, Steve Simpson leads a weekly support group on Long Island, NY where he talks to children who are abused and who have considered suicide. They tell him how worthless and hopeless they feel. And why shouldn’t they?  Their parents call them ‘worthless’ and ‘hopeless’ on a regular basis. “Verbal abuse is often more hurtful than physical abuse,” Simpson says. “If you tell a child she’s worthless often enough, she’ll believe it.”

In a heartfelt interview, Simpson will discuss:

  • Why summer is the most dangerous time for abused children
  • His own childhood and how he survived (and went from being a Z student to A)
  • The signals indicating a young person might be considering suicide
  • How co-dependency in single parent households can lead to abuse
  • How to talk to a child about suicide

Will you help fight the epidemic by interviewing Steve?  He is a child advocate, child abuse survivor and media commentator who recently released The Teenage and Young Adult Survival Handbook — a small guide that is modestly tucked inside in all four of his YA adventure novels which covers most of the topics plaguing young people today—suicide, bullying, sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, self-worth, being the child of an addict, living in a dysfunctional home, surviving school and more. This is a way for children and teens to seek help in a private way.  It can get better.

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