Poetry - Secondary Victims by June Kavanagh

The Kavanagh Sisters Podcast

When an abuser is named

what we don’t realise
is all the other people
who now get victimised.

Its only human nature
Whenever we’re in pain
To look outside ourselves
For someone else to blame

Although without intention
this causes untold pain
Countless innocent families
are left with guilt and shame

Guilt by association
is how some families feel
mothers in particular
get the raw end of the deal

It’s assumed they let it happen
it’s believed they must have known
no benefit of doubt
or compassion ever shown

For mothers who are innocent
we must try to understand
How much they need to be believed
and offered a helping hand.

Vilifying mothers
will only make them weak
For improvement what we need is
to encourage them to speak

Because there are no answers
this crime is unexplainable
We gain no understanding
which makes closure unobtainable

The families of abusers
always seem to pay for the crime
the abuser may get a sentence
but the families do the time

It’s time we offered help to all
now we know what’s involved
Innocents are suffering
that must be resolved

This crime leaves many victims
and breaks many hearts
With far too many innocents
whose lives are torn apart

Think on this the next time
you hear a story on the news
There is more involved
than what you see in a story of abuse