Why didn't you say something?

Have you ever wondered why abuse survivors remain silent? Denial of trauma is a defense mechanism that protects survivors from emotional pain. It serves as a shield that emotionally and mentally disconnects you from the traumatic event.

Silence can be a result of of these thoughts:

Fear of Judgement: Fear that other people are going to judge you negatively
No one will believe me: Thinking no one will believe you if you did tell someone
It's Not Safe to Tell: Afraid of your abuser if you open up about your experiences or threats by the abuser to keep you silent.
Fear of punishment: Negative consequences , from a supervisor, parent or caregiver, family members if you do tell.
Shame: Believe that the abuse was somehow your fault or you caused it. Embarrassed or ashamed that you didn’t or couldn’t defend yourself

Healing from trauma takes time, but it’s possible. When you work through it, you may feel like you've taken off a heavy weight you never even knew was there. EMDR therapy is a proven treatment method for trauma.