A look at the younger part of the community

There have been discussions here and there about minors being part of the South-African Vampi(y)re Community, where questions like “how does one go about assisting a minor going through an awakening?” and “can kids/teenagers be trusted with information regarding the vampi(y)re community?” have been asked, and it seems to be quite a sensitive subject for some in our community and especially a concern for those classified as elders. We take a deeper look at the younger community, in order to get answers to these questions.

Coming out of the coffin… or hiding in it?

It’s a rather “scary” situation, even for adults, once you realize you are going through some kind of inexplainable change and you don’t know if you should tell anyone because you’re afraid they might think you are going crazy. It’s hard to explain in words what exactly an “awakening” is, as everyone experiences it a little differently. So how does one handle this situation as a young and confused child?

It’s well known that kids don’t always open up about problems or feelings for the fear of having it brushed off as “nothing” or being told to “get over it and move on” or “it’s just a phase”, so the majority of youth experiencing an awakening prefer to stay quiet and go years before finding someone they can talk to about it. The few who dare to ask and even come in contact with a community such as ours, often face the situation where they are turned away and told to come back when they are older. This information is based on interviews with members of the vampire community who were asked to share their experience as young vampires when they faced the exact same problem. We were also lucky enough to speak to a few young vampires, who wish to remain anonymous, about their experience when they first realized they were going through something that makes them “different”.

Very few of the interviewed individuals were lucky enough to come across someone who was ready, willing and able to assist these young ones. It’s a fact that very few individuals wish to get involved with minors being part of a vampire community for the legal implications it may have when things go wrong and information is leaked, but we must ask ourselves if it’s worth it rejecting young ones and having them hate what they are and the community for not guiding them? Is that not what we as a community stand for? To support and give guidance to those who seek it?

Taking young ones by hand and guiding them and teaching them the meaning of community can be an investment for the future. It obviously doesn’t come without risk, but isn’t it a risk worth taking? Yes children are the future, but it remains our responsibility to prepare them for it.

The way forward.

Leaving young ones to figure things out for themselves can cause them to end up in a destructive lifestyle with little to no chance of turning back, but there are individuals in our community who are willing and even experienced in this field that can help.

I have no doubt that this topic will remain debatable for many years to come and for good reason too, but a few helping hands can lead to a better future for the whole community.