Abuse

Abuse is a word that conjures up images and ideas in people’s minds and is typically viewed as something extreme. Child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, emotional abuse and severe self-harm are commonly associated and accepted terms of abuse. But what if the term “abuse” really related to a much wider range of behaviour than society currently accepts? Is it possible that in our society there are only two types of behaviours:

(1) loving or (2) harming?
Is it possible the word ‘harm’ is a way we as society soften ‘abuse’ and thus avoid the need to address the truth of what is really going on?

As we look around every day we see unloving behaviours everywhere. Could it be that anything that is not loving towards our self or any other being is actually abusive? As a society, are we becoming desensitised and thus accepting abuse as our normal way?

What if our ‘normal’ is actually abusive?