Act: III
To Save a Life
Topic:
One thing that most experts agree on is that a child who is sexually abused by someone close to them (parent, sibling, etc..), usually has a harder time dealing with the effects of their coming forward due to fear and guilt. This is especially so when the person goes to prison and/or contact is not allowed. They are told by therapists and others that it is not their fault and that they did the right thing by coming forward. And while we, as adults, realize this, a child will have a harder time understanding that someone that they love will be gone from their lives because of something they did. This is in itself very traumatic and will make any kind of healing difficult. Whenever they think about the subject, whenever it is brought up, the only thing that they will know is that someone that they cared for is gone because of them. We as adults think this will be overcome by time, it doesn’t.
There is something that can be done though. Something that is so very simple if you think about it. Most adults who sexually abuse a child are remorseful. They will have no desire to cause further torment to their son or daughter or niece or sibling. They would be willing to do what it takes to make the aftermath as easy as possible for the child that they victimized. This idea is called a “Reverse Impact Statement”. In this, the offender would give a statement to the child. In this short, a father will give his statement to his child.
Characters:
Man 1
Little girl
Scene:
A man sits in a chair with his hands in his lap, he is wearing prison clothes and is seated at a table. He is looking forward intently at something that we cannot see. Scene is almost clinical.
Father:
Hello Little Girl. Want to talk to you for a minute. I know that you might be thinking some things right now; you might be a little confused. Hope that I can help a little bit.
First thing I need you to know is that I am not mad at you. I know that you might be thinking that, but I promise I am not mad. (smiles kind of ruefully.)
In fact, it should be me asking you not to be mad. I’m the one who did something bad, not you.
I want you to know how proud of you I am. (Father looks intent) You have been very brave, and you did the right thing by coming forward. What happened to you should not have been kept a secret, no matter what I said. You have to be the smartest girl ever to have realized that.
I have to go away for awhile and it is probably best if you don’t contact me until you are older, if then. At that time it will be up to you. I will be being punished for what I did to you. It is how it works, just like when I would punish you. It is not your fault that I am getting punished; it is my own fault.
The only thing that I ask you is that you realize that you did nothing wrong and that I am not mad at you. I want you to be happy and I want you to do good in school and be whatever it is that you want to be.
Can you do this one thing for me?
(Father’s eyes start leaking tears and the camera shifts and we see Little Girl sitting behind another table looking at the camera. Other people are standing close to her and a hand is resting on the back of the chair she is sitting in even though we cannot see anyone else’s face)
Little Girl:
(in a confused voice) Okay Daddy.
(About 3 or 4 seconds pass and Little Girl looks around.)
Little Girl:
Daddy’s gone. (Little Girl starts to cry.)
