--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An abused child never feels safe, growing…" description: "\"“An abused child never feels safe, growing up. The wrong that this child has gone through can never be seen or easily imagined by those who have never ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_an-abused-child-never-feels-safe-growing_898048.jpg" --- # An abused child never feels safe, growing up. The wrong… ![“An abused child never feels safe, growing up. The wrong that this child has gone through can never be seen or easily imagined by those who have never been abused.” quote by Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_an-abused-child-never-feels-safe-growing_898048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_an-abused-child-never-feels-safe-growing_898048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_an-abused-child-never-feels-safe-growing_898048.jpg) > ““An abused child never feels safe, growing up. The wrong that this child has gone through can never be seen or easily imagined by those who have never been abused.”” [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child who suffers abuse carries lasting insecurity that outsiders cannot fully comprehend. **In simple terms:** Abused children feel unsafe and misunderstood. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden trauma in others. Themes trauma trust empathy Mood compassionate somber Type reflective educational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - parenting - school support - friendship - community outreach Key Concepts psychology attachment theory invisible wounds Questions to Reflect On - How can you create a safe space for someone with hidden trauma? - What signs might indicate an abused child's distress? A Different Perspective Healing requires safe, consistent relationships, not just awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Child abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-abuse/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Emotional abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-abuse/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Sexual abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-abuse/) [Survivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivor/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone is an abused child, if you think about what governments do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/everyone-is-an-abused-child-if-you-think-about-what-governments-do/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [We're not at a point in time to be taking chances with children and young people in the church. The Holy Father himself said...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mahony/we-re-not-at-a-point-in-time-to-be-taking-chances-with-children-and/) [Roger Mahony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mahony/) > [The abused child goes on living within those who have survived such torture, a torture that ended with total repression. They live with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-abused-child-goes-on-living-within-those-who-have-survived-such/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Maybe someone was abused as a child. May be they were having a bad day. May be they're running away from something and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/maybe-someone-was-abused-as-a-child-may-be-they-were-having-a-bad-day/) Senoraroy > [Polanski was an abused child. And he flew too near to the sun too quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/polanski-was-an-abused-child-and-he-flew-too-near-to-the-sun-too/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [“Abused children as they grow to believe that they are damaged beyond repair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abused-children-as-they-grow-to-believe-that-they-are-damaged-beyond/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Abused children pick up from their past encounters to expect less of themselves and others. They are not commonly taught to trust and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abused-children-pick-up-from-their-past-encounters-to-expect-less-of/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Abused children realize that they cannot rely on their emotions since their innocent love and trust are already crushed and betrayed. They learn that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abused-children-realize-that-they-cannot-rely-on-their-emotions-since/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Abuse ambushed my life, I could not love myself truly and could never have a healthy relationship, they were either abused or completely impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abuse-ambushed-my-life-i-could-not-love-myself-truly-and-could-never/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“A child that’s being abused by its parents doesn’t stop loving its parents, it stops loving itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/a-child-that-s-being-abused-by-its-parents-doesn-t-stop-loving-its/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [When anything is wrong with your child, your first instinct is to make it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didi-conn/when-anything-is-wrong-with-your-child-your-first-instinct-is-to-make/) [Didi Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didi-conn/) > [“You have to make these huge decisions on behalf of your kid, this tiny human whose fate and future is entirely in your hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-frankel/you-have-to-make-these-huge-decisions-on-behalf-of-your-kid-this-tiny/) [Laurie Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-frankel/) > [David what your mother did to you was wrong. Verry wrong.No child deserves to be treated like that. She's sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/david-what-your-mother-did-to-you-was-wrong-verry-wrong-no-child/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [“Something wrong with your child? Feed them and put them to bed. Something wrong with your man? Feed him and take him to bed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cartwright/something-wrong-with-your-child-feed-them-and-put-them-to-bed/) Susan Cartwright > [“Not ever. Not once. You never know. You only guess. This is how it always is. You have to make these huge decisions on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-frankel/not-ever-not-once-you-never-know-you-only-guess-this-is-how-it-always/) [Laurie Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-frankel/) ## More by Patricia Dsouza > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“I CREATE my OWN DREAMS! I alone have the POWER to DESTROY or FULFILL them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/i-create-my-own-dreams-i-alone-have-the-power-to-destroy-or-fulfill/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“The way in which the child is manipulated pulls them into considering the lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-way-in-which-the-child-is-manipulated-pulls-them-into-considering/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Abuse ambushed my life, I could not love myself truly and could never have a healthy relationship, they were either abused or completely impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abuse-ambushed-my-life-i-could-not-love-myself-truly-and-could-never/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have taken place and we now hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-recognized-that-we-have-been/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“They illustrate that since no one really loves or cares for them, why should they love or care for themselves?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/they-illustrate-that-since-no-one-really-loves-or-cares-for-them-why/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“If a child is abused by a family member, most likely they blame themselves for the integral act of abuse than those that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/if-a-child-is-abused-by-a-family-member-most-likely-they-blame/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“The more I focus my time and energy on withstanding a real life, I am able to overcome and come out victorious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-more-i-focus-my-time-and-energy-on-withstanding-a-real-life-i-am/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Children are naive, they don’t possess enough skills to be able to recognize the balance between the truth and a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/children-are-naive-they-don-t-possess-enough-skills-to-be-able-to/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“when these little ones don’t receive the love, they need in their homes, they seek attention outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/when-these-little-ones-don-t-receive-the-love-they-need-in-their/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“When you accept things as they are, you allow yourself to make choices, that will help create the change you seek.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/when-you-accept-things-as-they-are-you-allow-yourself-to-make-choices/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“SPEAK TO THE CHILD WITHIN YOU: Tell the child within you, the one that has remained buried that the “adult” in you is positively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/speak-to-the-child-within-you-tell-the-child-within-you-the-one-that/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Children do not have reasoning capability or emotive development; thus, they are unable to precisely gauge what is going on with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/children-do-not-have-reasoning-capability-or-emotive-development-thus/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Abused children realize that they cannot rely on their emotions since their innocent love and trust are already crushed and betrayed. They learn that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abused-children-realize-that-they-cannot-rely-on-their-emotions-since/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“The abuser wants the victim to be confounded. They do not require the victim to see undoubtedly nor see things for what they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-abuser-wants-the-victim-to-be-confounded-they-do-not-require-the/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) [Explore all 69 Patricia Dsouza quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“An abused child never feels safe, growing up. 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