Thought Stirring Question: Public
While rape and abuse is always caused by a person choosing to hurt others, many survivors' abuse continues because people know about the abuse and refuse to stop it, or because people actively encourage the abuse to continue.
Those who know about abuse and refuse to stop it or report it can also be considered enablers; they aren't stepping in to try to stop the abuser and protect the survivor. This can be anyone from a friend or family member who doesn't report it or stop it from happening, to authorities like the police or CPS who do not act to stop rape or abuse from happening.
Sometimes, people encourage abuse because they feel the abuse is appropriate (i.e. verbal abuse is "tough love"), or it may be that enabling the abuse serves their needs (i.e. narcissistic parents allowing the other parent to abuse as a means of controlling their children). Many times, these people know and support the abuser, which leaves the survivor in an awful position of non-support.
Processing abuse can be difficult and lengthy, and that can be exacerbated by the frustration and feelings of betrayal which accompany abuse which was enabled or went unreported/unstopped.
This week's questions:
- Was your rape/abuse enabled? How was it enabled? Was the abuse or rape encouraged, or left unstopped/unreported by people other than yourself?
- How has that aspect of your abuse affected your processing?
- How do you feel about those who enabled your abuse or allowed it to continue?
Those who know about abuse and refuse to stop it or report it can also be considered enablers; they aren't stepping in to try to stop the abuser and protect the survivor. This can be anyone from a friend or family member who doesn't report it or stop it from happening, to authorities like the police or CPS who do not act to stop rape or abuse from happening.
Sometimes, people encourage abuse because they feel the abuse is appropriate (i.e. verbal abuse is "tough love"), or it may be that enabling the abuse serves their needs (i.e. narcissistic parents allowing the other parent to abuse as a means of controlling their children). Many times, these people know and support the abuser, which leaves the survivor in an awful position of non-support.
Processing abuse can be difficult and lengthy, and that can be exacerbated by the frustration and feelings of betrayal which accompany abuse which was enabled or went unreported/unstopped.
This week's questions:
- Was your rape/abuse enabled? How was it enabled? Was the abuse or rape encouraged, or left unstopped/unreported by people other than yourself?
- How has that aspect of your abuse affected your processing?
- How do you feel about those who enabled your abuse or allowed it to continue?