S
SemperFidelis07
Guest
I’m not using any last names for security reasons. God knows their full names. I teach history and literature in a Catholic high school. There is a junior girl in one of my history classes named Chloe. She’s sixteen, very smart and quite the debater. She could take control of a discussion with little effort. Well, over the past two, almost three weeks, I noticed a change in her. Her grades were slipping, she was becoming very quiet, and she started wearing a heavy layer of makeup. I had my suspicions, but I dismissed it as “she’s a teenager, she’ll go through strange changes”. Then last week on Friday, her boyfriend, Aidan came to me after class looking really upset. He said she was shutting him out and when they were together, she didn’t seem to want to go home. I suggested he take her somewhere quiet on Saturday and try to get her to talk to him. In the meantime, I brought my concerns to the Principal. He said he would deal with it.
Well, the next day in the afternoon, I get a call from Aidan who is in tears. This is a strong and generally happy kid. I’ve seen him and Chloe together, they are truly in love and very happy together. If he was crying, then something terrible had happened. I give my cell number to all parents just in case they need to speak with me about their child’s performance in class.
Chloe’s parents are legally divorced and their marriage was annulled. The mother, Elaine has a boyfriend named Bobby. Bobby’s been physically abusing the Chloe and he raped her. Elaine ignored it, but we all think she knew about it. She and Chloe… I never got the vibe that they had a good relationship. Finally, Chloe ran away to Aidan’s house devastated, shaken and crying. Aidan’s parents called the police, and they took both Bobby and Elaine into custody. Aidan said he’d kill Bobby if they ever crossed paths. I told him over the phone that it’s out of my hands now; that the school administration and the police will make sure everything is dealt with. I then advised him as a Christian and as someone who has a loved one who was a rape victim (older sister) that he needs to suppress his anger and hatred now no matter how much it is justified. What he needs to do now is hold his girlfriend tightly, that she need to know now that she’s loved, cared for, and that he is always going to be there for her no matter what. He has to be a pillar of strength and a source of comfort and happiness. Chloe stayed the night at Aidan’s place.
The next day, Chloe’s father, James came home from a work-related trip. He was obviously angry and devastated when he found out. Chloe’s now staying with him. Aidan was not too willing to let her out of his sight, but James put his foot down, basically saying that Chloe would need undoubtedly need Aidan’s love now more than ever. However, what she truly needs more than anything else is her dad.
Well, I’m trying to treat this as if everything is normal. No victim wants to be reminded that things are wrong in their lives and neither do their loved ones. Chloe and Aidan are together almost all the time during their breaks, and I could tell she needs him to feel safe. Her friends are also there to support her. James is obviously a loving and devoted father and his daughter is his entire world. His new wife, Hannah obviously cares more about her than her real “mother” ever did. Bobby’s going to obviously be charged with aggravated rape and assault. Elaine will hopefully be charged as an accomplice and with the endangerment of the welfare of a minor.
I need you to pray for Chloe for her physical, mental, and emotional recovery. She is a good, faithful Catholic girl, so I know she’s giving her heart to the Lord. For Aidan that the love he has in his heart for Chloe is stronger than all the hatred and anger he has towards her abusers. Pray that he’ll do whatever it takes to help her in her recovery. Pray for James that he gets sole custody of his daughter and that he’ll provide her a safe, loving environment to live in. Pray that justice be done Bobby never sees the outside of a prison until they stick him in the grave. Also pray that he’ll find redemption in prison. As for Elaine, pray that she receive the proper punishment for her negligence and that she too find redemption. Lord knows she has lost the right to call herself a mother.
Well, the next day in the afternoon, I get a call from Aidan who is in tears. This is a strong and generally happy kid. I’ve seen him and Chloe together, they are truly in love and very happy together. If he was crying, then something terrible had happened. I give my cell number to all parents just in case they need to speak with me about their child’s performance in class.
Chloe’s parents are legally divorced and their marriage was annulled. The mother, Elaine has a boyfriend named Bobby. Bobby’s been physically abusing the Chloe and he raped her. Elaine ignored it, but we all think she knew about it. She and Chloe… I never got the vibe that they had a good relationship. Finally, Chloe ran away to Aidan’s house devastated, shaken and crying. Aidan’s parents called the police, and they took both Bobby and Elaine into custody. Aidan said he’d kill Bobby if they ever crossed paths. I told him over the phone that it’s out of my hands now; that the school administration and the police will make sure everything is dealt with. I then advised him as a Christian and as someone who has a loved one who was a rape victim (older sister) that he needs to suppress his anger and hatred now no matter how much it is justified. What he needs to do now is hold his girlfriend tightly, that she need to know now that she’s loved, cared for, and that he is always going to be there for her no matter what. He has to be a pillar of strength and a source of comfort and happiness. Chloe stayed the night at Aidan’s place.
The next day, Chloe’s father, James came home from a work-related trip. He was obviously angry and devastated when he found out. Chloe’s now staying with him. Aidan was not too willing to let her out of his sight, but James put his foot down, basically saying that Chloe would need undoubtedly need Aidan’s love now more than ever. However, what she truly needs more than anything else is her dad.
Well, I’m trying to treat this as if everything is normal. No victim wants to be reminded that things are wrong in their lives and neither do their loved ones. Chloe and Aidan are together almost all the time during their breaks, and I could tell she needs him to feel safe. Her friends are also there to support her. James is obviously a loving and devoted father and his daughter is his entire world. His new wife, Hannah obviously cares more about her than her real “mother” ever did. Bobby’s going to obviously be charged with aggravated rape and assault. Elaine will hopefully be charged as an accomplice and with the endangerment of the welfare of a minor.
I need you to pray for Chloe for her physical, mental, and emotional recovery. She is a good, faithful Catholic girl, so I know she’s giving her heart to the Lord. For Aidan that the love he has in his heart for Chloe is stronger than all the hatred and anger he has towards her abusers. Pray that he’ll do whatever it takes to help her in her recovery. Pray for James that he gets sole custody of his daughter and that he’ll provide her a safe, loving environment to live in. Pray that justice be done Bobby never sees the outside of a prison until they stick him in the grave. Also pray that he’ll find redemption in prison. As for Elaine, pray that she receive the proper punishment for her negligence and that she too find redemption. Lord knows she has lost the right to call herself a mother.
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