Leonard Shengold (1989) defines soul murder as "neither a diagnosis nor a condition. It is a dramatic term for circumstances that eventuate in crime--the deliberate attempt to eradicate or compromise the separate identity of another person" (2). Children, Shengold tells us, are the usual victims of soul murder because their complete physical and emotional dependence on adults renders possible the tyranny of child abuse. Since adults constitute the total environment for children, sexual abusers are able to absorb, and thus destroy, the life of the child.
As Shengold convincingly argues, soul-murder involves massive defenses on the part of the victim, an intensity of compulsion to be punished, and a guilt-ridden fantasy life based on memory (293). These are the characteristics identified again and again in the literature of child abuse reviewed above. The confusion in perception that results from sexual abuse is captured, as Shengold recognizes, in George Orwell's term doublethink. Brainwashing by the molester destroys rational thought, Shengold holds; thus, the hold of the torturer is maintained. Referring to Lionel Trilling's (1950) concept that we live by metaphor and our minds are a poetry-making organ, Shengold stresses the point that we must have a meaningful narrative in our lives from which we construct our identities. "What goes on within and without our minds may be ultimately unknowable; yet sanity and survival depend on comparatively accurate registration of the outer and inner worlds" (32). When this registration is destroyed by sexual abuse--when adult patients ask "did it really happen?"--they express the essence of soul murder: the metaphor, and thus the narrative, is destroyed. The adult, once trapped as a child in a closed system, can no longer synthesize experience through perspective; brainwashing has stopped that forever. Nothing is left but self-doubt. Tragically, for many victims of child abuse, to know what really happened means that they must re-live the events that brought on their psychic death. "It is a price that many victims of soul murder cannot afford to pay, or do not choose to risk paying" (300). http://www-ec.njit.edu/~newrev/v2s3/...se_assault.htm
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...52C1A96F948260
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/shengold-soul.htmlAbuse is more than a tragedy. The innocent and helpless too often endure a life of distress simply because of being born to those who abuse them. There are rescue organizations for discarded pets. Who will rescue the children?
Complex Trauma
Abstract: Survivors of sexual abuse enter psychotherapy with special needs that challenge some of the traditional therapeutic assumptions. The therapeutic relationship, which is the foundation for treatment with abuse survivors, often must shift in nature and quality to address these needs. The main goal of treatment is the integration of self and affective experience. To facilitate this process the authors discuss the establishment and maintenance of an "affective edge" which allows for direct attention to and intervention with the trauma memories and the accompanying affect.
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As Shengold convincingly argues, soul-murder involves massive defenses on the part of the victim, an intensity of compulsion to be punished, and a guilt-ridden fantasy life based on memory (293). These are the characteristics identified again and again in the literature of child abuse reviewed above. The confusion in perception that results from sexual abuse is captured, as Shengold recognizes, in George Orwell's term doublethink. Brainwashing by the molester destroys rational thought, Shengold holds; thus, the hold of the torturer is maintained. Referring to Lionel Trilling's (1950) concept that we live by metaphor and our minds are a poetry-making organ, Shengold stresses the point that we must have a meaningful narrative in our lives from which we construct our identities. "What goes on within and without our minds may be ultimately unknowable; yet sanity and survival depend on comparatively accurate registration of the outer and inner worlds" (32). When this registration is destroyed by sexual abuse--when adult patients ask "did it really happen?"--they express the essence of soul murder: the metaphor, and thus the narrative, is destroyed. The adult, once trapped as a child in a closed system, can no longer synthesize experience through perspective; brainwashing has stopped that forever. Nothing is left but self-doubt. Tragically, for many victims of child abuse, to know what really happened means that they must re-live the events that brought on their psychic death. "It is a price that many victims of soul murder cannot afford to pay, or do not choose to risk paying" (300). http://www-ec.njit.edu/~newrev/v2s3/...se_assault.htm
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...52C1A96F948260
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/shengold-soul.htmlAbuse is more than a tragedy. The innocent and helpless too often endure a life of distress simply because of being born to those who abuse them. There are rescue organizations for discarded pets. Who will rescue the children?
Complex Trauma
The term complex trauma describes the dual problem of children’s exposure to traumatic events and the impact of this exposure on immediate and long-term outcomes. Complex traumatic exposure refers to children’s experiences of multiple traumatic events that occur within the caregiving system – the social environment that is supposed to be the source of safety and stability in a child’s life. Typically, complex trauma exposure refers to the simultaneous or sequential occurrences of child maltreatment—including emotional abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and witnessing domestic violence—that are chronic and begin in early childhood. Moreover, the initial traumatic experiences (e.g., parental neglect and emotional abuse) and the resulting emotional dysregulation, loss of a safe base, loss of direction, and inability to detect or respond to danger cues, often lead to subsequent trauma exposure (e.g., physical and sexual abuse, or community violence).
Complex trauma outcomes refer to the range of clinical symptomatology that appears after such exposures. Exposure to traumatic stress in early life is associated with enduring sequelae that not only incorporate, but also extend beyond, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These sequelae span multiple domains of impairment and include: (a) self-regulatory, attachment, anxiety, and affective disorders in infancy and childhood; (b) addictions, aggression, social helplessness and eating disorders; (c) dissociative, somataform, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immunological disorders; (d)sexual disorders in adolescence and adulthood; and (e) revictimization. http://www.nctsnet.org/sites/default...Trauma_All.pdf
Quote:
Dealing with sexual abuse is not a luxury; it's a necessity. http://www.enotalone.com/article/25881.html |
The violations of children's bodies, especially by people in positions of affection and authority, create deeply held difficulties with trust, intimacy, and dependency. This traumatization causes profound vulnerability and vigilance which continue into adulthood. To deal with these overwhelming experiences, victims of childhood abuse numb their bodies and disconnect from the existence, impact and/or meaning of their histories.
Traditionally, psychotherapy has focused primarily on personality structure and the resulting disturbances in the individual's system of thoughts, emotions and beliefs. However, in recent years clinicians have also begun to develop an understanding of the repercussions of physical threats, intimidation, and violence, as it has become increasingly necessary to treat the impact of wounds to the body as well as the mind.
During treatment with adult survivors, directly addressing the painful memories of childhood and the accompanying affect is essential for the resolution of sexual abuse (Cornell & Olio, 1991). As Wilson (1989) explains, "the successful working through of distressing affect and imagery restores a sense of integration, coherence, and cohesion to a previously fragmented self" (p. 203).
The authors advocate the development of an active, affective, therapeutic relationship to create a safe, interactive environment. This type of therapeutic relationship provides the context necessary for accessing, reworking, and integrating the traumatic material. It becomes the foundation for treatment; acting as a bridge to facilitate the survivor's reconnection to self and offering a corrective interpersonal experience. Providing, sustaining, and monitoring this type of therapeutic relationship is emotionally demanding and involves unusual challenges and responsibilities for the therapist. http://kspope.com/memory/relationship.php
Post by PsychCentral.com.
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looking for some answers
Odd symptoms, looking for guidance
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Summaries of Cochrane Reviews
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ADHD From A to Zoë
ADHD Man of DistrAction
After Trauma
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The Emotionally Sensitive Person
An Epidemic of Addiction
First Comes Love:
Relationship Solutions for Parents
Healing Together
Her Bipolar Life
The Impact of Sex Addiction
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Living with Chronic Pain
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“Justice is a part of the human makeup. And if you deprive a person of Justice on a continuous basis, it’s really an attack (and not to get religious or anything) but it’s an attack on the human soul. We have, as societies, evolved ideas of Justice and we have done that because human nature needs Justice and it needs resolution. And if you deprive somebody of that long enough they’re going to have reactions…” ~ Juli T. Star-Alexander – Executive Director, Redress, Inc.
ReplyDeleteRedress, Inc. 501c3 nonprofit corporation, created to combat corruption. Our purpose is to provide real assistance and solutions for citizens suffering from injustices. We operate as a formal business, with a Board of Directors guiding us. We take the following actions to seek redress: Competently organize as citizens working for the enforcement of our legal rights. Form a coalition so large and so effective that the authorities can no longer ignore us. We support and align with other civil rights groups and get our collective voices heard. Work to pass laws that benefit us and give us the means to fight against corruption, as is our legal right, and we work to repeal laws that are in violation of our legal rights. Become proactive in the election process, by screening of political candidates. As individuals, we support those who are striving to achieve excellence, and show how to remove from office those who have failed to get the job done. Make our presence known through every legal means. We monitor our courts and judges. We petition our government representatives for the assistance they are bound to provide us. We publicize our cases and demand redress. Create a flow of income that enables us to fight back in court, and to assist our members impoverished by the abuses inflicted on us. Create the means to relieve the stresses on us, as we share information and support each other. We become legal advocates for each other; we become an emotional support network for each other; we problem solve for individuals on a group basis! Educate our judges, lawyers, court personnel, law enforcement personnel and elected leaders about our rights as citizens! Actively work to eliminate incompetence, bias/prejudice, special relationships and corruption at all levels of government! Work actively with all media sources, to shed light on our efforts. It is reasonable to expect that if the authorities know we are watching and documenting, that their behaviors will improve. IT'S A HUGE TASK! Accountability will not happen overnight. But we believe that through supporting each other, we support ourselves. This results in a voice for justice and redress that cannot be ignored. Please become familiar with our web site, and feel free to call. We need each other - help us to help you! Although we are beginning operations in Nevada, we intend to extend into each state in a competent fashion. We are NOT attorneys, unless individual attorneys join us as members. We are simply people helping people. For those interested, we do not engage in the practice of law. You might be interested in this article Unauthorized Practice of Law on the Net. Call Redress, Inc. at 702.597.2982 or e-mail us at Redress@redressinc.com. WORKING TOGETHER TO ATTAIN FAIRNESS
Thanks for your comment! In addition there are forms of abuse. This type Psychological Abuse or Family Legal Abuse can cause a parent(s) a traumatic “injury”. We’re talking about very serious, blatant civil and human rights violations allowed on the part of the Family Court. Sad…but true. Often times it is caused by the excessive tactics some family law lawyers will go to knowingly and intentionally make sure they physically and psychologically injure their opponent by trying to make there client looks like the victim, What this also does is to financial cripple good and FIT parents while they hope they will give up on the child/ren and go away. In South Florida we have a few of these types of lawyers in the upcoming expose on South Florida’s Garbage Lawyers.
Delete#StandUpForZoraya #ILoveAndNeedMyDaughter #EndParentalAlienation
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