---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you abuse someone, you limit their…"
description: "\"When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of the world.\" — Tara Westover"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg"
---

#  When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and…

![“When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of the world.” quote by Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg)

> “When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of the world.”

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Abusing others narrows their worldview and confines them to the abuser’s perspective, limiting growth.

**In simple terms:** Abuse limits another’s view of the world.

Key Takeaway

Avoid imposing your view; respect others’ perspectives.

Themes

power abuse empathy growth

Mood

concerned thoughtful

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- family dynamics
- workplace interactions
- educational settings
- therapy sessions

Key Concepts

psychological control perspective personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- What would change if you truly listened to others?
- How can you recognize when you’re limiting someone’s perspective?

A Different Perspective

Abusers may claim they’re helping, making it hard to recognize.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Limit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-limit-2734026/) [Limit Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limit-perspective-2734025/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Perspective Trap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective-trap-2510994/) [View](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/view/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/)

## Related quotes

> [“If you do not have the sense to understand religion from the right perspective, then you are in the trap of the world's largest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/if-you-do-not-have-the-sense-to-understand-religion-from-the-right/)

[Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/)

> [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/)

> [When you build your network, keep yourself open to new ideas, concepts, and theories. Some of them may even contradict and challenge long-held points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/when-you-build-your-network-keep-yourself-open-to-new-ideas-concepts/)

[Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/)

> [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/)

[Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/)

> [I have a tough-minded view of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/i-have-a-tough-minded-view-of-the-world/)

[Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/)

> [In my view, fitness training isn't that important in England, as they all train with such intensity anyway and have a competitive edge when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-ranieri/in-my-view-fitness-training-isn-t-that-important-in-england-as-they/)

[Claudio Ranieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-ranieri/)

> [Changing is not just changing the things outside of us. First of all we need the right view that transcends all notions including of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/changing-is-not-just-changing-the-things-outside-of-us-first-of-all/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We want First Nations and these people to be like Canadians on a lot of points of view. Right now, that's not normal that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/we-want-first-nations-and-these-people-to-be-like-canadians-on-a-lot/)

[Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/)

> [I realized I couldn't be a journalist because I like to take a side, to have an opinion and a point a view; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-realized-i-couldn-t-be-a-journalist-because-i-like-to-take-a-side/)

[Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/)

> [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/)

[Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/)

> [I never had a highfalutin' view of what I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/i-never-had-a-highfalutin-view-of-what-i-write/)

[Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/)

> [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/)

[Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/)

> [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/)

[Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/)

> ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/)

[Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/)

> [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/)

[Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/)

## More by Tara Westover

> [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/)

> [I get up when I feel like getting up. That's the deal I've made with myself: I can stay in bed as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-get-up-when-i-feel-like-getting-up-that-s-the-deal-i-ve-made-with/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechanism-that-your-brain-uses-to/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [I felt like I needed to come to terms with the decision I'd made to let go of my family. What do you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-felt-like-i-needed-to-come-to-terms-with-the-decision-i-d-made-to/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [Learning in our family was entirely self-directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/learning-in-our-family-was-entirely-self-directed/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [I think you can change your belief, but sometimes your behavior takes a lot longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-think-you-can-change-your-belief-but-sometimes-your-behavior-takes/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [I'm no longer religious, but the Bible fascinates me. Hardly anyone reads it anymore, but it's got everything: it's a book of poetry, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-m-no-longer-religious-but-the-bible-fascinates-me-hardly-anyone/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [I didn't even have a birth certificate until I was 9 years old, which meant that, according to the state of Idaho and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-didn-t-even-have-a-birth-certificate-until-i-was-9-years-old-which/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [There's a sense of sovereignty that comes from life on a mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/there-s-a-sense-of-sovereignty-that-comes-from-life-on-a-mountain/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [“You can’t be a person without a birthday, they seemed to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/you-can-t-be-a-person-without-a-birthday-they-seemed-to-say/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [I had to be - I was in school for probably three or four years before I began taking courses in history and political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-had-to-be-i-was-in-school-for-probably-three-or-four-years-before-i/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [BYU was a really positive place for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/byu-was-a-really-positive-place-for-me/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [For a long time, I didn't think I had the right to walk away from my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-think-i-had-the-right-to-walk-away-from-my/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [“This moment would define my memory of that night, and of the many nights like it, for a decade. In it I saw myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/this-moment-would-define-my-memory-of-that-night-and-of-the-many/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [We think about education as a stepping stone into a higher socio-economic class, into a better job. And it does do those things. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/we-think-about-education-as-a-stepping-stone-into-a-higher-socio/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

[Explore all 82 Tara Westover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

## 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": "When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of the world.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tara Westover"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-perspective-and-you-trap-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Abuse"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-perspective-and-you-trap-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe8/tara-westover-8275_abuse_when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-p_1079790.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of…” — Tara Westover",
                "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": "Tara Westover",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you abuse someone, you limit...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-perspective-and-you-trap-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/when-you-abuse-someone-you-limit-their-perspective-and-you-trap-them/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
