Great Father says STOP THE MADNESS
There is a charged emotional atmosphere in the US today with the Kavenaugh confirmation hearings. One of the effects of this kind of public conversation is bringing sexual trauma into the light; today as has happened, many people are feeling triggered by the testimony. Whatever side of these hearings you are on, please be kind to the people who are having a response – you don’t know what kind of trauma they may have experienced in their lives.
One of the hallmarks of sexual trauma is that it is not only a violation of one’s sovereignty but also a theft of power. Most people do not have the emotional strength to deal with it in real time, so we encapsulate the event in our memory and dissociate. When I say dissociate I mean to create a different reality in which the trauma is occurring – that is what I did as a child when violated by my Great Uncle. Only when we have the emotional fortitude to effectively process the trauma will it come back up into consciousness, unless we get triggered.
This is why, in addition to fear of retaliation and shame that should be the perpetrator’s that many victims take on, victims of sexual trauma often do not report it right away. So, pour love on those who are feeling the charge in the world. Allow them to have their feelings, witness them without judgment, hold space for them, and then, when they have quieted ask if there is a way they would like you to support them. Keep your heart open as much as you can – this alone can start a healing process that is desperately needed.
Peter Berry
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