Abuse is incredibly contagious.  It is passed from generation to generation.  The experience of abuse creates a deep hole and a lack of belief in the self.  Whether or not you think so, it affects you and me.  Truly, we are all victims and we are all perpetrators because we all respond in our own way to fear and pain, though some of these ways are socially acceptable and others are not.

Abuse is a very personal experience.  Sometimes very sensitive people can experience something as abusive when many others may not consider it so.  So keep in mind that we must remain focused on each person’s personal experience and not necessarily the exact truth of a situation.