TALE OF A SURVIVOR

 TALE OF A SURVIVOR

As I decide to tell my story, a plethora of mixed emotions overwhelm me: fear, shame, and guilt, but I also do see a ray of light out of this dark abyss. My journey as a survivor of daily cyberbullying and abuse is a testimony of the resilience of the human spirit that refuses to give up no matter the adverse circumstances.

 

It started like any other ordinary project as I decided to navigate the tech world and social media. But unknown to me, behind the curtains lurked a dark, sinister world where ruthless predators lurked beneath the cloak of anonymity. They unleashed their vicious venom with unrelenting intensity. They recced me, cornered me, stalked and blackmailed me no end. The endless nightmare that I suddenly found myself in included endless taunts, insults, harassment and physical abuse. It was something that refused to go away. Every day, I would desperately seek a way out of my ordeal, but there would be none. Emboldened and hiding behind anonymity, they continued with their cruel acts as they had no fear of ever being found out, caught or punished.

 

They invaded my personal space and made a mockery of my privacy. Their cruel words and relentless abuse have left deep wounds in my soul and psyche. It left me disoriented. These are the people who ruthlessly exploited me, leaving me vulnerable and alone in this world. They isolated me from my family and friends as they went about their gruesome business. I could not express my helplessness to anyone and didn't know where to seek help. Slowly but surely, I was suffocating and heading towards a slow death.

 

For many years, I suffered in silence, though I tried unsuccessfully many times to put an end to this nonsense. No authoritative figure came forward to help me, though many of them were in the know about my predicament. I did not seek help directly from anyone for fear of being stigmatised, ridiculed, and judged. But somehow, there appeared to be some ray of hope in this ordeal.

 

I had people in my life who gave me a patient hearing and offered help and counselling. They tried to understand the problem and did their level best to be fair to them. But the cruel acts and attacks continued unabated. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and vent my distress, hoping that someone somewhere would understand and initiate some action.

 

The recovery process will be slow I understand and there will be many moments of doubt and despair. But this experience has made me stronger and more resilient today. The deep scars and trauma that I endured have made me invincible. The mental trauma will take a little more time to heal, though.

 

Today, I speak to you not as a victim but as a survivor. I have discovered my inherent strengths and fortitude as I carry the scars of my ordeal. It has been a long journey of unwavering faith in God, patience, and tenacity. I refuse to be engulfed by darkness and dark forces anymore. Instead, I embraced light and all the goodness life has to offer.

 

To all those trapped in similar situations, my advice is to don’t lose hope. There is dawn after every dark night. Fight for your truth and justice. Your words and voice matter. You matter to some people in this world. Don’t give up if no one in your circle offers help and encouragement. Go there where you are heard and understood. Your words and voice matter. Together, we can fight this menace.