On abuse

Untitled by M.K. Hajdin

Abusers want to keep abuse secret, so they can stay in control.  If the victim of the abuse starts to speak out, connecting with other people who’ve had the same experiences, and recognizing the patterns of abuse, the abuser starts to lose some of his power.  So the abuser says, “Don’t you dare tell anyone.”  The abuser says, “You’re a liar, no one will believe you.”  The abuser says, “You are crazy, no one will believe you.”  The abuser says, “You’re a manipulator, no one will believe you.”