--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being survivors signifies that we have…" description: "\"“Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have taken place and we now hope to let our wounds..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg" --- # Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we… ![“Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have taken place and we now hope to let our wounds heal and recuperate.” quote by Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg) > ““Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have taken place and we now hope to let our wounds heal and recuperate.”” [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. Survivors acknowledge past trauma, recognize its injustice, and commit to healing, emphasizing the necessity of confronting pain to move toward recovery. **In simple terms:** Recognize trauma, then heal. Key Takeaway Healing follows acknowledgment of injustice. Themes trauma recovery justice self‑care Mood empathetic hopeful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - Therapeutic counseling - Support groups for survivors - Community healing initiatives Key Concepts post‑traumatic growth restorative justice Practical Applications - Create safe spaces for sharing painful histories Questions to Reflect On - How does naming injustice empower recovery? - When might focusing on past pain hinder progress? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Child abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-abuse/) [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/) [Survivors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivors/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [“It is my personal opinion that all survivors can go from victim to victor and live more than a survivor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/it-is-my-personal-opinion-that-all-survivors-can-go-from-victim-to/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“... Do not let your wounds define you – that is not their purpose. The purpose of your wounds is for them to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-anne-talpa/do-not-let-your-wounds-define-you-that-is-not-their-purpose-the/) [Heather Anne Talpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-anne-talpa/) > [To experience emotional freedom, we must accept, surrender, and let go of our wounds. We must be willing to take responsibility for what we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/to-experience-emotional-freedom-we-must-accept-surrender-and-let-go/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [It is our wounds that create in us a desire to reach for miracles. The fulfillment of such miracles depends on whether we let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-soriano/it-is-our-wounds-that-create-in-us-a-desire-to-reach-for-miracles-the/) [Jocelyn Soriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-soriano/) > [Don't let your wounds make you become someone you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-moore/don-t-let-your-wounds-make-you-become-someone-you-re-not/) [Demi Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-moore/) > [Lie beside me. Let me see the division of your pores. Let me see the web of scars made by your family's claws and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/lie-beside-me-let-me-see-the-division-of-your-pores-let-me-see-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“In a healthy relationship, vulnerability is wonderful. It leads to increased intimacy and closer bonds. When a healthy person realizes that he or she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-enevoldsen/in-a-healthy-relationship-vulnerability-is-wonderful-it-leads-to/) [Christina Enevoldsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-enevoldsen/) > [“All people cross the line from childhood to adulthood with a secondhand opinion of who they are. Without any questioning, we take as truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heyward-ewart/all-people-cross-the-line-from-childhood-to-adulthood-with-a/) Heyward Ewart > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) ## 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/) > [“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/) > [“Manipulation is majorly at play in sexual abuse. The kid is in full control, influenced, used completely for one’s advantage, to work to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/manipulation-is-majorly-at-play-in-sexual-abuse-the-kid-is-in-full/) [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": "“Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have taken place and we now hope to let our wounds heal and recuperate.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patricia Dsouza" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-recognized-that-we-have-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-recognized-that-we-have-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/patricia-dsouza-9859_abuse_being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-r_118088.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being survivors signifies that we have recognized that we have been through a lot that should never have…” — Patricia Dsouza", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patricia Dsouza", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Being survivors signifies that we have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-recognized-that-we-have-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/being-survivors-signifies-that-we-have-recognized-that-we-have-been/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```