Kaytee Gillis, LCSW

How pressure from society can keep victims from leaving abusive relationships. Key points Survivors often face pressure from family, culture, and faith communities to stay in abusive relationships. These messages can reinforce self-doubt and make it harder for survivors to leave. Leaving abuse often means grieving relationships, identity, community, and the future once imagined We often ask survivors of domestic violence, "Why didn't you leave?" But we rarely ask a more important question:...

Decreasing use of victim-blaming language for survivors of abuse. The language we use to refer to victims of abuse often fails to account for the trauma they have experienced. Many survivors of abuse develop certain coping strategies to survive and navigate their environment. Reframing can create a more compassionate approach to supporting those who have been through trauma and abuse. “Attention-seeking.” “Daddy issues.” “Abandonment issues.” “Codependent.” These are just a few of the labels...