Your words ache.

What you’ve unwittingly written about is known as “secondary trauma”.

I’ve worked in mental health and focused specifically on “secondary trauma” victims. These “victims” were my co-workers, I was their peer outreach. Some of them listened to the exact same scenarios you wrote about and the effect these stories have are very powerful.My coworkers become just as depressed and even suicidal as their patients were.

But, there is one thing most of these victims (and your friend) need to understand; they must be more sensitive to their listeners, plain and simple.

I’m sorry she brought you into the backseat with her and made you watch; that’s what secondary trauma is.

Peace and light Miles.

A very powerful and effective piece, and very much needed, I think, as is 32squared’s comment. It’s very important that these stories be told, though, even as we have to attend to the pain of those who hear them. I can identify a lot with that “secondary trauma,” reading about all the awfulness in the world and how little I can do in the face of it. With rape in particular, I know there’s a lot of it and it’s desperately underreported. So I can’t help but wonder: how many of the men I know are rapists? With my friends, I think they couldn’t possibly be that sort of person, but that’s what they say every time something like this happens, isn’t it? I’m Catholic, so I’ve seen this kind of drama play out far too many times over the past decade. I’ve been finding it more and more difficult to trust anyone, lately. I try to keep in mind that Jesus asked us to forgive his killers, and that even as there is unknown evil hidden in peoples’ hearts there’s unknown good too. But it’s never easy.

One thing though: I would appreciate it if you put an additional warning of some kind for the subject matter, as rape is a deeply tramatic experience and we want to avoid re-traumatizing any of its victims. (Which of course includes men as well as women—I just read an awful piece about how universal rape of men by men is in so many wars, and how reluctant people are to talk about it.) Just putting “rape” in the tags or something would do.

I understand. Pain begets pain in more ways than is immediately apparent.

Honestly, the comments on here surprised me. I wasn’t aware that I had actually posted this yet. Though I’m far from one to hide from writing controversial material, I balked at the idea of continuing with this one here. As much as I intentionally strive towards exposing what is horrifying, some things I think are too intense for an audience that isn’t actively seeking them. This is a balance that I have yet to find, even in myself.

But, the damage is done and by these comments, perhaps it was a good thing after all. I appreciate the bravery it takes to share with such things, and I thank you both.

As it relates to me, this is fiction. But the thing about fiction is that, even when it comes from imagination, there’s a truth to it somewhere in the world. That’s the place where my pen gets its ink, and a philosophy that keeps me going. I’m no stranger to either side of the mental health equation.

Garsecg, the tags have been updated.

As I said, I appreciate that you wrote this. It seems like the most painful things to write about are the ones that matter the most, a lot of the time, and it’s good to put them out there, while also being considerate of how people might be hurt.

Yet it’s never good to bottle it up inside yourself, either.
For fiction, this piece is just vivid enough, leaving to the imagination the dark details.
I appreciate the comments, not always thinking about the consequences of my stories, myself.

for some odd reason, the verse

“Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.”

came to mind. It’s a line from the poem This be the Verse by philip Larkin.

This ficly was wonderfully pieced together, and looking at the other comments really struck a cord with what it means to be human.

Holy crap, that was truly outstanding. I like your style, and like you I enjoy pushing the boundaries of dark or controversial subject matter. I respect that you’re looking for that balance as well. Is it weird that I want to see what kind of sequel/prequel you would create? …’cause i do.