--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a sick child, I was scared, and…" description: "\"I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I never thought about why I didn't tell anyone about my abuse. Abuse victims don't have all th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_abuse_i-was-a-sick-child-i-was-scared-and-hone_1588987.jpg" --- # I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I… ![“I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I never thought about why I didn't tell anyone about my abuse. Abuse victims don't have all the answers, and I never thought it was abuse. My generation was totally different. Now a small child knows many things, much more than what we knew…” quote by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_abuse_i-was-a-sick-child-i-was-scared-and-hone_1588987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_abuse_i-was-a-sick-child-i-was-scared-and-hone_1588987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_abuse_i-was-a-sick-child-i-was-scared-and-hone_1588987.jpg) > “I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I never thought about why I didn't tell anyone about my abuse. Abuse victims don't have all the answers, and I never thought it was abuse. My generation was totally different. Now a small child knows many things, much more than what we knew. When I understood it was not right, it was much later.” [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Survivors often lack awareness and language to label abuse, especially across generations. **In simple terms:** Abuse can be hidden and unrecognized. Key Takeaway Seek education and safe spaces to speak out. Themes trauma generational gaps awareness Mood reflective empathetic Type educational advocacy When to use this quote - school counseling - family discussions - support groups Key Concepts psychology social stigma empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can we better educate children about consent? - What barriers stop victims from speaking? A Different Perspective Cultural silence can prevent early intervention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-abuse-2861943/) [Abuse Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-victims/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Tell Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-abuse-534211/) [Thought Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-abuse-4847139/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [As I presided over Massie's execution, I thought about the abuse and neglect he endured as a child in the foster care system. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-woodford/as-i-presided-over-massie-s-execution-i-thought-about-the-abuse-and/) [Jeanne Woodford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-woodford/) > [“I am disgusted that I was often taken into their bed and told to do things to both of them. The things a decent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-ainscough/i-am-disgusted-that-i-was-often-taken-into-their-bed-and-told-to-do/) [Carolyn Ainscough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-ainscough/) > [“You certainly do heal fast. But you'll still have some impressive bruises, so if I were you I'd avoid your father for the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/you-certainly-do-heal-fast-but-you-ll-still-have-some-impressive/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Abuse is abuse;;; Be nice.. Harsh words dont break bones but they often break hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/abuse-is-abuse-be-nice-harsh-words-dont-break-bones-but-they-often/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [Abuse is abuse;;; Be nice.. Harsh words don't break bones but they often break hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/abuse-is-abuse-be-nice-harsh-words-don-t-break-bones-but-they-often/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let's suppose somebody abused you sexually. You still had a choice, though not a good one, about what to tell yourself about the abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/let-s-suppose-somebody-abused-you-sexually-you-still-had-a-choice/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Verbal abuse is still abuse. It's abuse in the form of words. Don't assume that a few hurtful words won't cost them their life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/verbal-abuse-is-still-abuse-it-s-abuse-in-the-form-of-words-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“SOCIETY AS COMPULSIVE AND ADDICTED Our society is highly addictive. We have sixty million sexual abuse victims. Possibly seventy-five million lives are seriously affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/society-as-compulsive-and-addicted-our-society-is-highly-addictive-we/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [“BEFRIENDING THE BODY Trauma victims cannot recover until they become familiar with and befriend the sensations in their bodies. Being frightened means that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/befriending-the-body-trauma-victims-cannot-recover-until-they-become/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [With what I've gone through, I think it's really important to become a voice for abuse victims who have no voice. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/with-what-i-ve-gone-through-i-think-it-s-really-important-to-become-a/) [Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/) > [“The ruling classes use broken and smashed up childhoods as weaponised instruments of domination around the world. This is why the government has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/the-ruling-classes-use-broken-and-smashed-up-childhoods-as-weaponised/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [Since my arrival in Congress in 2005, I have regularly introduced legislation to bring greater awareness to the dangerous situation that domestic abuse victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/since-my-arrival-in-congress-in-2005-i-have-regularly-introduced/) [Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/) > [“In early January 2002, when Rev. James Porter and Rev. John Geoghan abuse cases appeared on the headlines of the Boston Globe, the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benedict/in-early-january-2002-when-rev-james-porter-and-rev-john-geoghan/) [Charles Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benedict/) > [“A cult is a group of people who share an obsessive devotion to a person or idea. The cults described in this book use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-smith/a-cult-is-a-group-of-people-who-share-an-obsessive-devotion-to-a/) [Margaret Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-smith/) > [“many abuse victims don’t wish to let their abusers move onto the next victim after terrorizing them, because they fear that the next person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/many-abuse-victims-don-t-wish-to-let-their-abusers-move-onto-the-next/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) ## More by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi > [People believe that if a hijra curses you, bad things will happen. That God Ram blessed hijras with this power, that our blessings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/people-believe-that-if-a-hijra-curses-you-bad-things-will-happen-that/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [The people who want to be segregated are part of a different generation, and they have lived their lives. They are the stakeholders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/the-people-who-want-to-be-segregated-are-part-of-a-different/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [When somebody asks me, "Who are you?" I tell them, "I am the oldest ethnic transgender community in the world, which has its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/when-somebody-asks-me-who-are-you-i-tell-them-i-am-the-oldest-ethnic/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [We, hijras, are not hypocrites. We live our sexuality openly, being truthful to our souls and our bodies. Science and doctors assigned something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/we-hijras-are-not-hypocrites-we-live-our-sexuality-openly-being/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I advocate for people who believe sex work is work. But women have so many avenues open. In the same way, a trans woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-advocate-for-people-who-believe-sex-work-is-work-but-women-have-so/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [Hijras are a sexual minority that is visible, and yet we are treated as the invisibles. I believe I was never invisible. I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/hijras-are-a-sexual-minority-that-is-visible-and-yet-we-are-treated/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [Hijras earn a living by egging, sex work, badhai or blessing. There are now transgenders in social work, the fashion industry, who have PhDs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/hijras-earn-a-living-by-egging-sex-work-badhai-or-blessing-there-are/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [Being called gay is worse than transgender. I remember when I started fighting way back in 1999 for hijas' rights, and I said the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/being-called-gay-is-worse-than-transgender-i-remember-when-i-started/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [A hijra is someone who has transitioned from male to female, but we don't consider ourselves female because culturally we belong to a completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/a-hijra-is-someone-who-has-transitioned-from-male-to-female-but-we/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I try to educate people. I've told the hijra community that it's not about getting breasts or having sexual reassignment surgery. First we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-try-to-educate-people-i-ve-told-the-hijra-community-that-it-s-not/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I always say, "First complete your education, be what you want to be in life, get a position, start earning. Then, when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-always-say-first-complete-your-education-be-what-you-want-to-be-in/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I learned dancing because I loved dancing. It took away the pain, it took away everything, I was happy when I was dancing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-learned-dancing-because-i-loved-dancing-it-took-away-the-pain-it/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell people, "We exist, we are humans. Please give us nothing but our basic dignity."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/when-we-hijras-started-our-activism-we-had-to-tell-people-we-exist-we/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [At times, my parents said, "Let's get the child married," and I said a big no. Impossible. How could I be with a woman?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/at-times-my-parents-said-let-s-get-the-child-married-and-i-said-a-big/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I was recently chief guest at a function, and one of the boys who had exploited me in the childhood was there. He could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-was-recently-chief-guest-at-a-function-and-one-of-the-boys-who-had/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) [Explore all 19 Laxmi Narayan Tripathi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I never thought about why I didn't tell anyone about my abuse. Abuse victims don't have all the answers, and I never thought it was abuse. My generation was totally different. 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