The Relationship Between Power and Truth: Why Survivors Must Be Free to Speak

So women all over the globe started telling truths around violence, abuse, and sexual harassment. The next thing you

So women all over the globe started telling truths around violence, abuse, and sexual harassment. The next thing you know it became taboo for women to speak truth. Well whaddya know?

For Survivors of abuse, truth is not just a moral issue—it is a matter of liberation, justice, and survival. The ability to name what happened, to speak without fear, and to resist coercion is one of the greatest acts of reclaiming power.

But what happens when power is used to suppress truth instead of protect it? And why does truth always pose a threat to those who seek control?

Power Thrives on Controlling Truth

When abuse happens, whether in a home, a workplace, a religious institution, or a community, one of the first things an abuser will do is manipulate reality.

🚨 They will gaslight, making the Survivor doubt their own experience.
🚨 They will rewrite the story, turning themselves into the victim.
🚨 They will silence witnesses, using threats, shame, or money to keep others quiet.

This is how power sustains itself—by controlling the truth, keeping Survivors in doubt, and ensuring that no one questions the person (or system) in control.

When the truth is buried, injustice thrives.

Why Survivors Speaking the Truth Is a Threat to Power

For those who benefit from a culture of silence, Survivors telling their stories is dangerous.

🛑 It disrupts the status quo—challenging the way things have always been.
🛑 It shifts power—forcing accountability on those who were once untouchable.
🛑 It inspires others—giving permission for more Survivors to come forward.

This is why so many Survivors are met with intimidation, character attacks, and even legal threats when they speak out. Truth is not neutral—it demands change.

The Cost of Silence: What Happens When Power Wins

When powerful people, institutions, and cultures suppress the truth, the consequences are devastating:

⚠️ Survivors suffer in isolation, carrying the burden of abuse alone.
⚠️ Predators continue to harm, emboldened by the lack of consequences.
⚠️ Communities become complicit, pretending not to see what is happening.

The longer silence is maintained, the stronger the lie becomes.

And yet, truth always has a way of resurfacing. Even in the face of power, it refuses to die.

Reclaiming Power Through Truth

For Survivors, speaking truth is an act of defiance. It is saying:

💥 “I see what happened, and I will not be gaslit.”
💥 “I refuse to carry shame that does not belong to me.”
💥 “I will not protect my abuser’s reputation at the expense of my own healing.”

Truth-telling restores dignity. It returns the narrative to the person who actually lived the experience. And it breaks generational cycles by ensuring that silence is not passed down as inheritance.

Truth Is Its Own Power

Those who fear truth will always try to suppress it. But power built on deception is fragile—because truth does not need permission to exist.

If you are a Survivor, know this:
✨ Your story matters.
✨ Your experience is real.
✨ You have the right to name what happened.

Speaking the truth does not mean you have to tell your story to everyone. It means you do not have to live under someone else’s version of your reality.

At We Survive Abuse, we believe that Survivors deserve to speak, to heal, and to reclaim the power that was stolen from them.

You want to feel more powerful? Don’t wait on anyone’s permission or approval to tell the truth.