Children Quote by Rebecca Solnit
““Herman’s Trauma and Recovery, which addresses rape, child molestation, and wartime trauma together, notes: Secrecy and silence are the perpetrator’s first line of defense. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely, he tries to make sure that no one listens. . . . After every atrocity one can expect to hear the same predictable apologies: it never happened; the victim lies; the victim exaggerates; the victim brought it on herself; and in any case it is time to forget the past and move on. The more powerful the perpetrator, the greater is his prerogative to name and define reality, and the more completely his arguments prevail. They””
About This Quote
Source Book: Herman’s Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman, 1992
Silence protects abusers; they attack victims’ credibility and demand forgetting, reinforcing power over truth.
In simple terms: Abusers use silence and blame to control narratives.
Key Takeaway
Expose and challenge silencing tactics.
Themes
power
silence
victim blaming
truth
justice
Mood
determined
empathetic
Type
analytical
advocacy
When to use this quote
- legal testimony
- therapy sessions
- activist campaigns
- media reporting
Key Concepts
psychology
trauma
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies protect victims who speak out?
- What mechanisms can hold perpetrators accountable?
A Different Perspective
Silence can be broken, but victims may still face retaliation and disbelief.
![“[In mountaineering, if] we look for private experience rather than public history, even getting to the top becomes an optional narrative rather than the main point, and those who only wander in high places become part of the story.” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1e6/rebecca-solnit-569_high-places_in-mountaineering-if-we-look-for-private_78831.jpg)
