On Reforming Systems that Perpetuate Trauma

Trauma is grounded in a fundamental tension between the abuse of power by one or some (perpetrator) and the reciprocal experience by the other or others of surviving under these conditions (endurer/survivor). Trauma exists in dyadic relationships of chronic abuse and neglect and in systems like patriarchal white supremacy, apartheid, anti-semitic fascism, colonization and more. In America, when police officers enter a person's home unannounced and kill the resident, as happened with Breonna Taylor, and then walk away without any meaningful repercussions, the system is exposed as a manifestation of trauma - power is terribly abused by some and others are unilaterally forced to endure. As an organization committed to helping survivors heal we are also committed to undermining trauma dynamics wherever they exist, whether inside dyadic relationships or inside the public sphere. We stand with many others calling for bottom-up reform of our systems of justice and public safety to take the trauma completely out of them. We can do this.

-Dave