For adult survivors of Family Scapegoating Abuse (FSA), Mother’s Day can serve as a reminder of the deep wounds inflicted by familial dynamics gone awry….
Family, typically regarded as a sanctuary of love and support, can sometimes harbor complex dynamics that lead to unexpected forms of conflict and distress, as well as covert or overt forms of individual and/or systemic abuse. One such phenomenon that qualifies as systemic abuse is family mobbing, a term often associated with workplace bullying but equally applicable within familial settings, particularly as related to the phenomenon I named family scapegoating abuse (FSA)…
The ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi beautifully illustrates the concept of embracing imperfections and turning brokenness into beauty. Versus feeling self-conscious or a sense of shame or inferiority as related to their intrapsychic wounds and scars, adult survivors of family scapegoating abuse (FSA) may benefit by re-envisioning their healing process from family trauma and abuse as a journey of artful restoration whereby intrapsychic wounds are transformed into imperfect – yet still beautiful – scars.
Summary: Women often face heightened scrutiny and obstacles in having their qualifications and skills recognized and valued compared to men due to societal biases and internalized misogyny. This issue stems from ingrained gender stereotypes and a lack of inclusive environments that support gender equality. In this article, Rebecca C. Mandeville reflects on women, marginalization, and scapegoating dynamics, and gets a bit more personal regarding her own background and experiences with these individual and systemic realities.
Scapegoating in dysfunctional or narcissistic families disrupts family bonds and may lead to sibling estrangement. A break in sibling bonds is especially likely when one or more siblings adopt the damaging ‘scapegoat narrative’ used to devalue and depower the child in the ‘family scapegoat’ role.