What did I do to deserve this? How could it have been avoided? Is it my fault? Questions like these are all too familiar when terrible things happen to us. You might be the victim of a terrible crime or injustice, and no matter which way you look at it, there is often an element of guilt that sets in. In light of our campaign, speaking out against violence towards women and children, here are a few thoughts that should never cross your mind: “If only I didn’t go there”, “if only I didn’t wear that”, “if only I stayed home” and “if only I was never born.”
When it comes to trauma, crimes of abuse or just simple injustice, chances of it being your fault are pretty much zero. At the end of the day, the person who has abused you is the one who did wrong, NOT YOU! You can never make excuses for someone else’s misbehavior, neither can you assume responsibility for their criminal abuse towards you.