The magnitude of an act’s heinousness is measured not by how it appears on paper, but by the width, breadth, and depth of the harm it causes, especially when intentional.
Trauma is far more than “something bad happened.” It deeply affects a person’s biology, identity, safety, capacity to relate, and quality of life.
When that kind of rupture is inflicted by someone in power—particularly someone meant to protect—it’s not just personal harm. It’s social harm. It tears at the fabric of connection and belonging. And when a system enables or excuses it, the harm spreads and deepens even further.
We can’t heal what we won’t acknowledge. We can’t prevent what we won’t measure. And we can’t measure trauma without including its context, especially the betrayal, the imbalance of power, and the silence and suffering that follow.
To be trauma-aware is to see harm for what it is. To name it, trace it, and refuse to excuse it. That’s the first step toward accountability and collective healing.
