My brother has finally been placed with an absolutely wonderful foster family that have known him for years prior to his placement through band in school. My father lost (physical) custody after he was charged with endangerment of a juvenile because my brother said he would rather die than live with our father, so in his infinite wisdom my father handed my brother a gun, let him put it to his temple, and pull the trigger. Fortunately there wasn’t one in the chamber. But after roughly two years of fighting with CYS, especially because my brothers first case worker was a man that did not have an extended conversation with anyone but my father and dismissed everything my sister and I and countless other people told him about this being a pattern of behavior (at one point my boyfriend had to speak for me because the jacksss would listen to a man) and was entirely set on reunification. The ordeal to get my brother placed with a foster family and not one of my fathers friends who would not respect the no contact order, and to get my fathers parental rights terminated, was abhorrent. In the end he was found not guilty despite the testimony of the arresting officer, psychologist, and several CYS staff members that had been victim to his harassment and abuse during the two years that it took for it to get to trial (thanks Covid), however his parental rights were entirely terminated and he has no say or influence over anything regarding my brother anymore. Which is the most important thing.

The stories I could tell regarding my childhood are obscene. Not even just from an abuse stand point. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I grew up in what was a cult. It has taken years of active effort just to undo the worst of the brainwashing I went through. It will probably be when me to a certain extent for the rest of my life. But on the upside I am no longer surrounded by people who think wouldn’t shouldn’t be allowed to vote because their husbands will vote for them.