Abuse-deniers Quote by Carolyn Spring
““It was that culture of denial that allowed my abuse to take place to start with. Did you know that it wasn't until 1984 that the Department of Health added the category of "sexual abuse" to its list of harms that can befall children? When I was being raped and made pregnant at the age of 11, it wasn't just my own dissociative process that told me that it wasn't happening; it was society too. "We don't have a category for that. Computer says no."͏””
About This Quote
Source Article: “The Hidden Harm of Denial”, 2022, journalism piece
Societal denial of abuse perpetuates harm; recognition and categorization are essential for protection.
In simple terms: Denial lets abuse continue.
Name and address hidden harms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- education
- support services
- advocacy work
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can individuals take to break denial?
- How can institutions better classify emerging harms?
Changing language alone may not change attitudes.