I assess bullying as a form of abuse. Our first child abuse laws had many starts and stops; they did not really gain traction until the 1970’s. These laws addressed physical and sexual abuse, not emotional abuse. Church and State enabled abuse and the paradigm that women and children were property of man and he could do as he wanted with his property.
We do know female bullying in the workplace is on the rise. It is highly likely these same women are using their bullying tactics in other areas such as in their social situations and families.
Healing From Emotional Bullying
What can we do? We need to educate ourselves about all aspects of emotional bullying, stop enabling, and stop pretending it isn’t happening. Victims need to speak up, unite and stand up for our dignity.
A very powerful example of how this will work is the story of taking down Larry Nassar, an osteopathic physician at Michigan State University and the USA Gymnastics national team doctor. The story also illustrates how staying silent enables perpetrators. The victims tried to speak up year after year, and the adults did nothing. Kudos to the victims for not giving up, and there are no words for the adults who did nothing.
A very powerful moment at the end of the 2018 Espy awards was 140 victims standing together, holding hands and taking a stand for the truth, their voice, freedom and dignity. What the victims experienced emotionally while trying to speak up into a world of silence is probably similar to what victims of emotional abuse in the family experience now in terms of denial only. We don’t have laws, the consciousness is new, the denial and enabling are strong, so victims can feel alone.
The victims of Larry Nassar had laws against the sexual abuse, but other factors including denial/money overrode the laws. If you are saying to yourself that emotional abuse in the family isn’t real, you probably would have been one of the adults who did nothing to save the girls from Larry Nassar. We know abuse cannot thrive if people unite and speak up!
We are speaking about emotional abuse in the family, and the principles of healing are the same. Alone you will suffer; together we will survive.
Read the full article here: https://www.recovery.org/pro/articles/bullying-and-the-codependent-part-...
Dr. Anne Brown, PhD, RN of Sausalito, California, formerly from Aspen, Colorado in her private practice has served as the trusted advocate and advisor to Influential Corporate leaders, Trial Attorneys, Athletes, Leaders, Physicians and their families, many whose connections extend well beyond the town of Aspen.
Before moving to Aspen in 1987, Brown worked as an Alcohol Clinical Specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts from 1981–1983. She was the Program Director of the Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Program at Greater Cape Ann Human Services in Gloucester, Massachusetts from 1983–1987.
While living in Aspen, Brown developed a private practice providing therapy for families, individuals, and couples.
Brown is a graduate of the University of Virginia, BS in Nursing; Boston University, MS in Psychiatric-Mental Health in Nursing; and International University, PhD in Addiction Studies.
Brown resides in Sausalito, California and has two children and four grandchildren.
Visit her website: www.BackbonePower.com