Thought-Stirring Post: Shame & Self-Blame
PUBLIC POST
One of the many tools abusers use against those being abused is the use of shaming, or making one feel ashamed of what happened to them, sometimes as though they-the survivor-was the one responsible to the mistreatment against them. Other times, the feelings of shame come from the ones survivors confide in about their mistreatment by using victim-blaming, which may further convince the survivor that they could have somehow stopped the mistreatment if only they had done something differently.
One of the many tools abusers use against those being abused is the use of shaming, or making one feel ashamed of what happened to them, sometimes as though they-the survivor-was the one responsible to the mistreatment against them. Other times, the feelings of shame come from the ones survivors confide in about their mistreatment by using victim-blaming, which may further convince the survivor that they could have somehow stopped the mistreatment if only they had done something differently.
- Have you ever experienced feelings of shame and/or self-blame? What made you feel this way?
- How do you think shame and victim-blaming differ
- What are some ways that you ease the pain of shame and/or self-blame?