My Story by Sophie

The sound of my alarm woke me up, I was dreading the day already, I peered through the window and was met with a cold breeze that hit my sensitive skin, the sound of the rain falling gave me peace and relaxation and a safe feeling. As the day went by, I was called by my teacher “hey Sophie” the office wants you. I had this feeling or was it intuition it was not going to be sweet and oh boy was I right. As I stepped in to the head teacher’s office I examined the room, I felt confused to why I was there and why my ex-head teacher Mrs Windrush was there too, her facial expressions told me she had something to say and I was not too sure I would like It.

She asked me to sit down I could see her mouth move but could not hear what she was saying, I was in a daze, Mrs Windrush asked me if I was okay but all I was thinking about was her name I always thought it was a stupid name. Mrs Windrush. Mrs Windrush like the wind rushing through the trees. Then I heard her say Sophie, Sophie…. suddenly I brought myself back to reality.

Mrs Windrush started talking about my dad, saying mum packed up some of our belongings and was at my old school with my brothers and sisters. I was told I would not see my dad again. I was flabbergasted and shocked. I just didn’t know what to say, a tear dropping on to my delicate skin, the redness in my eyes was obvious. Still in disbelief we went to the police station I still couldn’t comprehend what happened. I just shrugged it off. Hours later we were all in a hotel for the night, more and more people were talking to mum. We moved from house to house to house to house we kept moving and it took a major toll on me.

Social workers were always at our home asking us questions about home life. I would lie and say that nothing questionable happened just to protect my dad but one day I decided to reflect on everything, my childhood. So you see, I now realise my childhood was questionable. Things that I knew from the get go were wrong. Whenever I did anything wrong Dad would put me in this little storage room which had no windows, it was really dusty and he put me in there. I would say this was the least painful thing, I recall my “FATHER” would beat me for the stupidest things like if I did not read my school book he would beat me with a stick, his leg, his hand, broom, teeth and threats.  He would get his finger and dig it in to my collar bone. I would feel so much pain from this, the pain would last days and I wouldn’t be able to move my arm for days. The beatings were not the most painful thing. His words were so harming. I would threaten to kill myself he would laugh and say “do it do it “it hurt so much.

As a kid I would get weird intrusive thoughts, doing something like reading I would get intrusive thoughts I would feel so tired of the voices in my head and when I went home it was no better. So when I reflected, I got thinking and realised I am not saying anything about my Dad, it was him who did it. His actions caused consequences. If my mum never got help, I would be in a different country with no passport and dad would leave us there.

I love you. Thank you for listening.  As written by Sophie (age 12) for staff in our safe accommodation.