“I am…”Two of the most powerful words a person can speak. In the right hands, they build identity.They anchor us in truth.They tell the world who we’
“I am…”
Two of the most powerful words a person can speak.
In the right hands, they build identity.
They anchor us in truth.
They tell the world who we’ve chosen to be.
But in the wrong hands, “I am” becomes a demand.
A tool of pressure.
A way to override boundaries, silence resistance, and force compliance.
🚨 The Manipulation Behind the Mask
Predators, manipulators, and coercive individuals often start with one thing: a title.
Not honesty. Not consent. Not care.
Just a title—used like a passkey.
“I am your father.”
“I am your teacher.”
“I am your aunt.”
“I am your pastor.”
“I am a woman now.” (spoken by a man who still expects access to women’s spaces, vulnerabilities, and trust)
It’s not a statement.
It’s a script—designed to force you to respond a certain way.
You are supposed to now trust, comply, open up, give in, step aside.
But let’s be clear: “I am” does not mean “you must.”
This Is How Control Works
When “I am” becomes a demand:
Boundaries are ignored.
Safety is threatened.
Children are confused.
Women are coerced.
Survivors are silenced.
It becomes dangerous because it cloaks coercion in familiarity, identity, and even justice.
💣 The Hidden Message Behind “I Am”
When used to pressure or override boundaries, “I am” comes with a hidden threat:
“Because I am who I say I am, you don’t get to say no.”
“Because I am this, you are obligated to agree.”
“Because I’ve claimed this identity or role, your instincts no longer matter.”
That is not empowerment.
That is domination.
And Survivors—especially women and children—have heard it for centuries.
✊🏽 We Refuse to Bow to Magic Words
We are done being polite at our own expense.
We are done mistaking power plays for genuine connection.
We are done letting “I am” shut down “I’m not comfortable with this.”
Because “I am” is not a get-out-of-consent-free card.
You can be who you are.
And we can still say no.
That’s how boundaries work.
That’s how justice lives.
That’s how Survivors stay free.
🧱 What We Must Teach—Loud and Clear
To our children:
“You don’t owe anyone access just because they have a title.”
To our daughters:
“Your intuition is more powerful than their ‘I am.’ Always.”
To Survivors:
“You were not wrong to resist. You were not wrong to feel uneasy. You were not wrong to say no.”
At WeSurviveAbuse.com, we reclaim these words:
“I am powerful.
I am worthy.
I am not here to serve your entitlement.”
Because the moment “I am” becomes a demand,
we will meet it with the one truth that predators fear most:
“I choose who I allow in.
And I choose me.”
There Are No Magic Words That Grant Access to Our Boundaries
