Mother was slapping me hard across my face, this way, that way and this way again.
I staggered back against the front door, shocked to the core. It was the next evening. Me and Victor had come back from the pictures, and I was just
lifting my hand to the door knocker when the door was hurled open, and Mother was standing there like an avenging angel.
„You never ever ever say anything to anybody about this place‟ Now she was hitting me, punching me, on my head and shoulders.
I shrank against a wall, trying to protect my head with my arms. As Mother ranted
and raved, walloped seven bells out of me, there was one tiny thought at the back of my mind, behind the awful shock and the pain. Stevens, 2008:
182
Mother physically abused Tess just because Tess tells her neighbor about what her neighbor‟s wife did in Tess‟ house. Tess is actually innocent in this case,
because she is in a condition where she cannot refuse to be asked by her neighbor about his wife‟s activity in Tess‟ house. In other word, her neighbor forces her to
speak by frightening her. The fourth worst physical abuse is launched by Tess‟ caregiver, Mrs.
Danvers. From the quotation below, it could be seen that Mrs. Danvers physically abuses Tess and Buddy. Tess is being whacked by Mrs. Danvers after she wanted
to defend herself and her brother from her. “But she got in first and whacked me too. Both me and Buddy were crying our eyes out.
” Stevens, 2008: 28 The last physical abuse suffered by Tess is launched by her grandmother.
It could be seen from the quotation below.
„So that‟s why she didn‟t like me‟ I said. „I remember sitting under her kitchen table, and every time I tried to get out she‟d kick me. All I
could see was a little black boot, one of those old-fashioned ones with buttons.‟ Stevens, 2008: 101
Tess is physically abused by her grandmother. She is being kicked by her grandmother each time she wanted to get out from the kitchen table. This shows
that grandmother dislikes Tess.
B. The Causes of the Abuses Experienced by Tess
There are several causes of the abuses experienced by Tess. The causes of the abuses experienced by Tess are gender inequality, poverty, abuser‟s past
experience, and parent‟s divorce.
1. Gender Inequality
The first cause of the abuses experienced by Tess is gender inequality. According to Olive 2007: 81 most people who sexually abuse children are male.
Commonly, there are two categories of people who sexually abuse Tess; the punters and Tess‟ step-father.
He didn‟t push me to the floor, and he didn‟t let his hand wander downwards. Just undid my school blouse, lifted up my vest and felt all
round my boobs. When he got his willy out , I knew to look away
quickly. Stevens, 2008: 146 The first category of male whom abused Tess is the punters. From the text
above we could see that the punter pushes Tess down to the floor, undid her blouse, lift up her vest, feels her breasts, and exposes his penis in front of her.
From this interpretation, it could be concluded that Tess is being abused by male.
I looked up, and saw a horrible sight. Peter had pulled down his trunks and was holding his willy in his hand.
It was shiny and pink and looked swollen. Part of my mind registered the fact that the camera was
nowhere to be seen.
„Look at this,‟ he said. „Would you like to hold it?‟ Stevens, 2008: 84 Tess is also being sexually abused by another punter, Peter. From the
quotation above we could see that Peter pulls down his trunks and hold his penis in his hand. Peter shows his intimate organ purposely towards Tess and then asks
her to hold it. From the description of the quotation above, we could get information that Tess is being exposed to sexual scene which is done by a male.
The second category of people whom sexually abused Tess is her step- father, Filth. It could be seen from the quotation below.
I jumped up, turning round to say, „Did you hear Mum call?‟ And that‟s when I saw it. His grubby, stained trousers were gaping open, and
something was poking out, an ugly, swollen thing like a big slug. I realized immediately what it must be.
I‟d seen my brothers, after all, and knew they had a willy between their legs. It never bothered me in the
slightest, it was just what boys had and girls didn‟t. Now for the first time I saw a man‟s willy, and it was disgusting. I ran out of the room across the
hall to the bedroom. I climbed on to the bed, shaking. I felt like crying. For some reason I couldn‟t explain, I felt dirty. Stevens, 2008: 55
Tess is being abused by her step-father, Filth. The quotation above, describes how Filth abused Tess. Filth took out his penis in front of Tess and it
makes her sick just by looking at it. It could be concluded that male dominantly become the actor in sexual abuse due to their power over woman.
According to the feminist perspective, the sexual abuses launched by men over women are the media for gaining control over women Dominelli in Corby,
2006: 175. Sexual abuse is also seen as an example of institutionalized male power over females Corby, 2006: 175. Women are considered as weak beings in
the perspective of men. Women are treated as an object for men to fulfill their lust and desire. Since women are treated as objects, men thought that they have the
