On Abuse Victims

We were having a discussion at work the other day about some pretty hot topics. It was an exercise designed to purposely provoke heated discussion, so we can learn tolerance for hearing the other side of the argument.

The statement was: Women who are abused who have children are guilty of child abuse if they do not leave their abuser.

I of course was on the side that NO they are not guilty of child abuse. It was actually split fifty fifty, which initially surprised me, and then on later discussion (I kept pretty quiet on my personal experience), everyone who was vehemently opposed to mothers being guilty of child abuse had been in an abusive relationship. Everyone on the other side of the argument had not.

One of the staff who had not been abused said, "It's totally is the woman's fault because she is allowing herself to be abused". I have never heard such an ignorant remark in my life. Victims do not "allow" themselves to be abused. It's a VICIOUS trap, and they don't know how to get out of it.

It really goes to show how little people do not understand about abuse. (This is another idea (of my many) on what I would like to delve deeper into with my masters degree).