Link – Predators Hidden by Positive Stereotypes:Past and Present Danger
We need to stop believing that we will recognize abusers when we meet them, clearly no one recognized what was happening to hundreds of gymnasts even after some of them came forward.
“Given the abuse perpetrated by famous directors, beloved coaches, trusted priests and respected politicians, etc., it may be time to tolerate the cognitive dissonance and loosen our positive and negative stereotypes. Stereotypes are a threat to truth. They don’t allow us to see people without bias. As such, they leave too many children in harms way.”
It’s too easy to assume that we would know if someone we knew was an abuser, but we have to face the fact that people are really, really good at hiding things. Heck, how many survivors do you know? How many of you knew they were being abused before they told you? We became really good at hiding what was going on.
Who do you think we learned that from?
