I remember when we first moved in together, things started to disappear.

Perfumes. New clothes. Beautiful gift sets that family had lovingly chosen for me on special birthdays.

We knew who was taking them. It wasn’t a mystery. But they were never told to stop. Never asked to give them back. Never made to make it right.

It was as if I had no right to what was mine. As if my belongings — and by extension, my boundaries — were somehow community property in a space where I was expected to quietly accept the disrespect.

This was a family culture where everything uncomfortable was swept under the carpet — not spoken about, never mentioned again. That wasn’t the world I was raised in. I was taught to name things, to speak openly, to confront the truth with integrity.

From a psychological perspective, this kind of dynamic chips away at your sense of self. It teaches you that your needs don’t matter, that your feelings are inconvenient, and that keeping the peace is more important than speaking the truth.

But silence in the face of small injustices isn’t peace. It’s avoidance.

If you’ve ever been made to feel like your things, your space, your worth didn’t matter — let this be your reminder: it didmatter. And it still does.

You are not “too sensitive” for noticing.
You are not “overreacting” for remembering.
You are reclaiming your voice. One truth at a time.

#EmotionalAbuseAwareness #PsychologicalSafety #HealingJourney #SpeakYourTruth #TraumaRecovery #NotYoursToTake

— Linda C J Turner

Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment