believe the abused when they talk about their experiences

"Talking Gibberish" cartoon by nakedpastor David Hayward Buy a print of this cartoon HERE. I read R. L. Stollar's post yesterday, What It Means to Take Abuse Seriously. It's a must read. And it inspired today's cartoon. Thanks Mr. Stollar. I've learned a lot this last year about how the abused share their experiences and how they are received. Many people immediately dismiss the message because of the medium it is delivered in:

• usually in the shape of a woman
• frequently upset
• often emotionally charged
• sometimes hysterical
• mostly¬†uncorroborated
• generally unbelievable
• always disturbing

Here is a relevant quote from my favorite philosopher alive, Slavoj Žižek, in his work, Violence: Six Sideways Reflections (Big Ideas/Small Books): “A dispassionate conceptual development of the typology of violence must by definition ignore its traumatic impact. Yet there is a sense in which a cold analysis of violence somehow reproduces and participates in its horror. A distinction needs to be made, as well, between (factual) truth and truthfulness: what renders a report of a raped woman (or any other narrative of a trauma) truthful is its very factual unreliability, its confusion, its inconsistency. If the victim were able to report on her painful and humiliating experience in a clear manner, with all the data arranged in a consistent order, this very quality would make us suspicious of its truth.” When people share with me their stories of abuse, I believe them. Do you? Consider joining our community The Lasting Supper, where we will believe you when you share your experiences.