SANTIAGO, Mary Rose R.

SCL Case Study

4BIO1 December 6, 2017

CASE STUDY SUBJECT: Physically, Emotionally, and Mentally Abused Child

I. Introduction

- Child abuse can occur both in the form of action and inaction. I choose to tackle this subject
because I believe that the family mainly has a role in ensuring the child gets necessary treatment
while developing and in providing the necessary care to build the child's personality. An abused
child may become depressed and withdrawn and may think of suicide or become violent. I
believe that a child needs to be raised in a calm and caring home without being mistreated or
neglected.

- There are things we usually see as normal, but in fact the act is truly wrong. One of these acts is
child abuse. This is particularly evident and widespread in the Philippines. My client is a victim
of abuse and neglect. She is one of my childhood friends and is particularly close to my heart. I
choose her to be my client because cases like these are often disregarded since it has been
normalized. I see my friend struggling due to these events and whenever she goes to other people
for help, they often blame her for the problem. I want to be able to fight and to help get rid of the
stigma.

II. Statement of the Purpose

The main objective of this case study is to give exposure to the experiences of an abused
and neglected child who has been struggling with anxiety and depression due to violence and
neglect. More specifically it attempts to answer the following questions:

- How may the client be described?

- What are some situations of abuse that happened to her?

- How does she cope after this happens?

- What are her future plans?

- Who is to be blamed for her current situation?

III. Brief Historical Background

My client specifically asked for her name not to be revealed. She felt hesitant since she
hasnt sought for help from any relatives and only her friends know about her situation.
Throughout the next sections of this study, she will be referred to as Eros.
- Eros and I grew up together since we both attended the same schools from grade school
to college. She is from Multinational Village, Paraaque city and is currently a
graduating student under the program BS Medical Technology in the Faculty of
Pharmacy here in the University of Sto. Tomas. Eros just recently turned 20 years old and
is a Roman-Catholic. She is usally a cheerful person and a very great and helpful friend.
But underneath her cheerful personality, she is currently suffering from anxiety and
depressive attacks.

- Her status as an abused child started when she was in grade school. Eros was an over
achiever, she never failed to get into the top 5 students of her class. She also has talent for
painting and writing poetry. This talent was recognized by the school since she was
always tasked to join competitions to represent the school's name. She would bring home
awards from academics and extra corricular activities but these were often ignored by her
parents. One time during fifth grade, she received a grade of 79 in one of her subjects
causing her to get a lower standing in class. When her parents found this out, she was
repetitively called "bobo", "tanga" and "pabaya", while being repetitively hit in the head.

- These situations continued to get worse as she grew older. During our second year in
college when everything got worse, she would come to school with half her face black
and blue because she was beaten by her father because she found out about his affair.

- She stated one particular event where she thought about committing suicide because she
couldn't take the physical and mental abuse anymore. She had just gotten home from
doing an errand she ran for her mother, it was raining really hard and she was drenched
from the rain. She left her wet shoes by the door since she was in a hurry to get a change
of clothes since she was very cold and wet. Her sibling tasked her to wash the plates in
her place since her sibling was feeling lazy then. Eros told her sister to wait since she
wanted to get dry clothes first but her sister grew impatient and saw this as disobedience.
Her sister strangled her and she hit her sister in self-defense. Eros' father saw this and
immediately took action. He thought Eros was hitting her sister and took the side of her
sister. Eros then asked why he was siding with her sister when she was the one being
hurt. Her father took this wrongly and then started hitting her face repetitively whenever
he asked, "what did you say?," to the point she needed to hide under a table to avoid
getting hit.

- Eros tends to blame herself and to physically hurt herself. Sometimes if she would find
the strength she would tell me and some of her other friends and she would ask for help
and comfort. She usually gets anxiety attacks whenever she remembers all of these events
or if anybody touches her face. She deals with this through burying herself with school
work and extracurricular activities since she is also active in organizations inside UST.
 - This now leads us to the present situation where Eros is currently still experiencing abuse
and neglect in her household. She struggles to deal with her studies since she feels and
thinks that she is worthless and stupid since she grew up believing the words of her
father. She also struggles with depressive episodes and tries to seek help from the UST
Psychotrauma Clinic at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center. Although she isn't happy
with her situation, she perseveres and remains resilient amidst the adversities.

- Eros plans on persuing Medicine after graduating from her program and plans on getting
an apartment far from the house she currently resides in order to get away from the
abusive environment. Although she resents her father, she is still thankful he has given
her the opportunity to study and to own everything she owns.

- I believe that Eros father is at fault since he says depreciating words to his child. He also
physically abuses Eros whenever she fails to live up to his high expectations and
whenever things dont go his way. He uses Eros as a scapegoat for his short comings and
vents his frustrations on her.

IV. Personal Realizations

No one really knows what degree of suffering anybody is experiencing. We shouldn't

really compare our pain to other's. We should all empathize and sympathize because we never
really know how heavy the burden someone is carrying. No matter how many challenges we
come across, maybe the purpose is to make us stronger. Or maybe the purpose isn't to make us
stronger, because sometimes we finish some trials weaker than when we first started; but to
persevere. That no matter how difficult everything might be, we must continue to move forward
and be happy. For someone who is very pessimistic and for someone who easily gives up, I
realized that even though we are in a situation we think we don't deserve, we must see ourselves
being happy. Regardless of what's occurring in our life, in favor or otherwise, I realized that we
can be happy. And no matter what the reason, there is no excuse to treat someone lowly. I will
most certainly learn from the situation of my client. If I ever do have a family soon, I will never
treat them badly and I will always show that I care for them despite their imperfections.

V. Teachings of the Church

- I found the bible verse from Isaiah 40:31 very applicable to Eros'. "But those who hope in the
Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint." I shared this particular passage to her because I found
this very timely. Eros really didn't have time to build her beliefs and to strengthen her
relationship with Christ since her parents weren't religious that much. So I took this opportunity
to tell her to hold on to God whenever these things happen because sometimes we just really
need something to hold on to. I particularly wanted her to bear this passage in mind because she
needs the strength to go through this part of her life. I also mentioned a verse from Psalm 46:1.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." I wanted to remind Eros that if
she ever needed to find refuge, and if ever she feels like nobody is there for her, it should be in
the Lord since we can always come home to Him.

- Upon researching the Church's opinion regarding this issue, I found a particular article
published by National Catholic Reporter (ncronline.org). This article claims that knowing how
the Catholic Church sometimes fails to protect children from abuse, the church will work
strenuously and with foresight for the protection of minors and their dignity. Another document
is about the need to treat children with respect. This mentioned in Familiaris Consortio #26
particularly titled, "Rights of Children." It says, "Special attention must be devoted to the
children by developing a profound esteem for their personal dignity, and a great respect and
generous concern for their rights.

VI. Recommendation and Christian Application

After my interview with Eros ended, I took a moment to absorb everything she
mentioned and to think of ways I can extend my help other than listening to her problems and
being a friend to go to. I told her that these things aren't normal and that she shouldn't settle for
how she was treated. Since my father is a policeman, she could always approach us if she ever
needs help or if it ever goes overboard. If violence has happened again, I told her to immediately
go to the barangay and to an hospital to ask for a medico legal. She doesn't need a lawyer to act
because the law does protect but she has to do her share and report it. If she doesn't act, nothing
will change.

I would like to conclude my case study by sharing a spoken word poetry I made not so
long ago. Eros liked this and said she relates to it in a way that she is in a labyrinth, but it was not
her choice to put herself there. Instead, she was born there. The sun is her happiness and her
hopes that she would get out of the situation and labyrinth she is in. I entitled the poem,
Hamartia.

Sometimes I try to remember.

I try to remember how I got myself in this predicament; this labyrinth. This never ending maze,
with walls built up so high that I lost my sense of direction; that no one, not even myself, can find
a way out.

I try to remember how I got inside. And how I got in the darkness. When I started seeking its
comfort. How only I could hear myself and how badly I want to get all the things I'm feeling out
of my chest. How I try to hide from one of the monsters I thought was in the maze, only to realize
the monster was probably none other than myself.

Eventually, I start to recall.

I put myself here. I got myself in this labyrinth. I let myself be here. I'd see the sun up high in the
sky, and I would admire it just a little while. Then I'd go back to my darkness. My comfort.
Where nobody could see all my flaws. Know my secrets. Where no one could judge every single
mistake I've made. Where no one could hate me for the things I've chosen to do.

I don't remember how, and when it started. but little by little, I started exposing myself to the sun.
Its brightness. Its light would seep through the cracks of every tall wall I built. Its warmth would
spread all throughout my body. How I'd start to feel alive, just a bit. Just a little bit. To the point
I never dared to go back to the darkness.

I remember trying to build myself wings out of wax. It took so much time and effort. Sometimes
I'd burn myself with the wax. Then some people started reaching out to help me. So I'd be able to
avoid getting hurt. While making my wings I'd tell them, "I'm building these wings for myself, so
maybe one day I'd get closer to the sun. Feel its warmth; bathe in its brightness." Then they'd
retort, "Fly and be free, but not too high. Not too close to the sun."

The day came and I finally got the opportunity to test my wings. I remember feeling excited.
Feeling euphoric. I've gone to the edge of the steepest cliff. I could feel the cold breeze hit my
face. I hesitated for awhile. What if my wings don't work? What if this isn't worth the fall? Then I
thought to myself I've gone this far now. I took a deep breath.

One. Okay. Two. I'm doing this. And I took the leap.

And I flew.
I flew up and high. And I was confused how it worked but I'm flying. I'd see the people who
helped me out and they look happy because I'm laughing. I'm flying.

I touched the sky, and I've never felt so alive. I saw how beautiful the clouds were and I
carelessly grazed through them. Then I saw the sun and I flew violently, higher, faster towards
the sun.

Towards you.

But I forgot. I forgot that the sun was never mine to touch; to reach.
But the sun was so beautiful and radiating, so I reached for it anyway.
I reached for its embrace.

And I fell.
I don't recall my wings falling off.
Maybe because the only thing I felt melting at the moment was my heart.
But I was falling towards the sea.
All my senses are awake now.
It felt like my wings were being clipped off, I was burning. I was falling faster now, I couldn't
hear myself scream.

Then, I crashed.

The harsh cold waves engulf me.

I try to make sense of what happened. What led to my demise.

I forgot.
My hamartia.

I realize all too late that my efforts were completely wasted; that I am, once again, back inside
my darkness. Not in a labyrinth. Not in a maze. Yet another predicament.

I am Icarus.
And you are my sun.

And as I sink deeper, further down, I thought to myself.

Wouldn't it be better to have felt your blinding burning light,
that for a moment; even just a moment,
I was alive,
than to never have felt

anything at all?

I was Icarus.
And you were my sun.