Monday, June 3, 2013

Learning From Child Abuse Survivor Stories

By Michelle Howe


People who have survived traumatic circumstances often want to help others avoid or overcome similar events in their lives. Finding happiness after a childhood filled with neglect and abuse can be difficult if people have no one to look to or learn from as they rebuild their lives. Listening to others' child abuse survivor stories can give people the courage to rebuild their futures and realize that they had no fault in what happened to them. They may find the strength to be happy and live productive lives.

This optimism may be difficult to achieve if they cannot forget others' doubts about their own accounts. Many victims are not believed when they try to tell authority figures. Parents, teachers, and other adults might be inclined to believe that adolescent victims are making things up or trying to get their abuser in trouble out of revenge. This particular is the case when the abuser is a respected figure in the community.

Being accused of lying and having others not believe them may lead victims to become depressed, withdrawn, and resigned to their abusive circumstances. They may refuse to fight back, but rather submit to the mistreatment with the belief that no one else cares about what happens to them. When they reach adulthood, this despondency might be a firmly ingrained behavior that prevents them from realizing true happiness.

However, when they hear others recount their tales of abusive treatments and survival of those circumstances, victims might be inclined to learn from these survivors' accounts. They may finally accept the reality that they were not to blame, but rather their abuser was cunning and deviant in his or her behavior. Knowing that others have survived similar circumstances may be enough to help these individuals forge a new future.

This determination can also be fortified if people go through counseling. An objective, yet empathetic counselor can help them look on the past events in a new perspective. Their therapist may empower these survivors to face the facts that the events were not their fault and that they could not have escaped the abusive situation in most cases. Having an objective person help them look past the trauma and put a new light on it can give survivors hope.

Survival is now a triumph that many book publishers want to capitalize on and celebrate. These publishers may offer book deals to victims who are strong enough to write about their experiences. These novels can be tools used by others who want to rebuild their lives. These books are often available to the public at their local library or bookstore. People can learn of these novels when authors publicize and promote their writings.

Survivors also can read these accounts online. Many websites now exist that allow people to go online and tell others about what happened to them. This online approach may be considered therapeutic and help readers cope with their pasts.

Taking child abuse survivor stories to heart may allow victimized individuals to look to the future. These accounts might provide them with the insight these people need to find happiness, courage, and determination to live happy lives that are free from doubt and guilt. They can find such accounts online or in novels that are available at bookstores and libraries.




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