Why They Stay Silent: Loyalty and Control in Familial Trafficking
In her book, Unsayable, Annie Rogers asks “What makes it possible for a child to speak and be truly heard when speaking has been impossible in the family?(2006) When a child is exploited by their family members, love and fear become closely intertwined creating loyalty, dependence, and a silencing that often lasts till adulthood. This presentation will increase your knowledge on these dynamics and will give you the tools to walk alongside survivors leaving these exploitative situations.
Topics covered:
Love and loyalty- trauma bonding and child development within familial trafficking scenarios, the foundation of dissociation, fragmentation and traumatic memory.
Fear and control-maintaining secrecy in order to prevent disclosure through torment, intimidation, gaslighting and control.
Disclosure and Loss- finding voice at a great cost to survivors and how to support them.
Moving Toward Identity-walking with survivors as the discover who they want to be apart from their past