The Ties That Bind

I was so blown away by this story. As a fellow survivor, I am so thankful that Shree & Risk have the courage to shine a light on this difficult topic. I think about what I was doing on 11/12/21 and this heroic act that was taking place across the world and it’s comforting to know that these survivors were escaping the cycle.

I had a cruel and dysfunctional childhood at the hands of my father and stepmother, but not with the horrendous physical abuse described in your story. Their stock and trade were cruelty and humiliation. When your own parents are your worst enemies, what does it say about you? That question really messes with your self-esteem and sense of self. I, too, helped my four siblings escape and achieve education and careers (I’m the oldest, too). Your summary at the end really describes the turmoil of abuse survivors. Your story brought back a lot of difficult feelings and memories, but thank you. Your sand-to-glass analogy is a good one. Adult children always get the last word, and it is a critical part of our healing.