In a capitalistic world, the more you do the better off you are. Many people strive to achieve the perfect work-life balance that results in being able to do the most possible without being dragged down by bodily limitations.
Experiencing abuse often causes damage that makes it difficult to function. Trauma causes mental, digestive, neurological, and autoimmune disorders. Because Western culture has a focus on productivity, people who experience abuse are often seen as unproductive. Healing takes extensive hard work and effort, however it is often not recognized because it does not produce external results that are visible or immediate. Abuse is often caused by trauma and can be resolved when abusers improve their mental health and make tangible changes in their behavior. But the burden of the responsibility to heal is placed on victims and survivors, not abusers. Abusers have no burden to heal since abusing others can increase their functionality and even income on a short-term basis.
The burden of responsibility to heal is caused by capitalistic productivity incentives that place different expectations on who should heal and how in a way that lacks accountability and preventative measures in a world where everyone needs to heal. It creates a dangerous feedback loop.
There are 3 ways to solve this:
Ensure the human rights of everyone are protected, regardless if they work or or need assistance for a disability or health problem.
Hold abusers accountable continuously until they have made sincere changes.
Protect victims and survivors and prioritize their health and needs over their abusers.
There is no single blanket solution that applies everywhere. Tangible action on these issues must be a combination of legal, economic and cultural reforms tailored for each specific community.
Examples can include:
- expressing the importance of rest, downtime, and healing and practicing it yourself
- using preventative measures to stop abuse before it happens through education on different types of abuse, what healthy behavior looks like, and clearly expressing consequences for unhealthy behavior
- support victims and do not justify or ignore the behavior of abusive people
- developing mutual aid networks for victims and survivors
- expanding social security and making sure services and programs are accessible
- in economic spaces and workplaces, valuing efficiency over productivity
- improving workers rights through unions, paid sick and family leave, and benefits
- universal healthcare and not tying healthcare to employment
- making reforms in criminal and family law
- keeping track of decisions judges make, and intentionally vote for or against judges based on whether they support victims
That's how we can reduce the burden of healing.
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