Who Can Cause Trauma?

Abusive people aren’t limited to significant others.

We talk a lot about intimate partner violence, and even though that can include family violence or dating violence, it can unfortunately make survivors who have experienced abuse by someone else feel excluded from the conversation.

Abuse doesn’t just happen in romantic relationships.

Abuse happens when one person tries to gain and maintain power and control over another person through patterns of abusive actions and behavior.

I’ve experienced trauma because of a boss before.

A boss that wanted to cross my boundaries, make me feel stupid, and tried to pit other women in the office against me.

And I don’t talk about it very much.

But the abuse that we endure at the hands of uncommon abusers needs to be talked about too.

Too often, I hear from survivors who have experienced trauma because of religious leaders, co-workers, friends, nurses, or law enforcement (as a few examples), and their story is just as valid and just as important as anyone else’s story.

If this resonates with you, please know that you’re not alone. Your voice is important.

-Admin