Cycle of Abuse

[ysabetwordsmith]

This graphic short points out a crucial fact about child abuse:  not all survivors become abusers later.  (That actually applies to all forms of abuse, not just sexual abuse.)  Some do, because abuse can break people in ways that make them more inclined to hurt others.  We've got scads of stories about that.  I'm thinking we could use more stories about the many survivors who DO break the cycle.  

As a storyteller, I believe in telling all the stories.  I wouldn't want to give up the abusive-background-villain motif.  But when that's the overwhelming majority of stories told about abuse survivors ... maybe it's time to ask if you really need that specific motif or you could choose something else.  It's not so great to make stuff that can hurt people.  Let's see if we can think of more things that are helpful.  

Besides, rehashing a literature superhighway rarely leads to great groundbreaking stuff.  If you want to make an impact, look for the stories that aren't getting told, or aren't told much, or are told plain wrong.  Then go fix that.

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EDIT: This discussion contributed to the following poem in my batch of work from the November 2013 crowdfunding Creative Jam:

From the prompt about seasons of life, I got the free-verse poem "A Seasoned Fighter." It's about a child abuse survivor who grows up to become a superhero and protect other people from abuse.
110 lines, Buy It Now = $55

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> My found-sister, who lives with us, is a survivor of child abuse, and her experience informs our parenting (hers, too) in a very positive way. <<

A concept I have found very useful: "If you can't lower the price, raise the profit." Experiences you learn from are useful, even if otherwise destructive.

>> She, my husband, and I were emotionally abused in romantic relationships, and that's a lot more fraught. <<

I'm glad you're there for each other.