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[tinywarrior]

It's been a long week at a child abuse conference. Imagine a week of classes filled with all the horrible ways that people can hurt children. It's awful, but probably one of the conferences I most look forward to every year. It's always amazing to me how much I still have to learn after doing this for such a long time. And it's nice to have a

Comments

[crapediem]

Thank you for continuing to advocate for children by being vigilant about some so-called advocates. In one online community, I had befriended a woman who seemed, at least initially to me, very interested in various marginalized groups, including abuse survivors of all types. Then, over time, I picked up a constant, unnerved sense about how dismissive she was about certain critical, if seeming subtle things I picked up. Finally, after too much time and much more blatant hints and language, I tried to give her pointed feedback which she absolutely refused to get.

It had dawned on me that despite all the so-called experience and knowledge she had acquired, she (at the least) marginalized all the victims and even if her attitude may not have been picked up, it could be damaging to victims. What was most galling to me was that she was on the cusp of becoming a speaker & trainer in her region to address the general public (and presumably in some areas, direct victims). She was so proud of the fact that she'd 'educate' the so-called ignorant there, but yet she constantly marginalized the victims and the abuse along the way. I truly feared that she would only perpetuate many of the myths and stereotypes.

Since it's 'just' the internet, I couldn't think of anything but to discontinue our acquaintanceship.