“Repeated trauma in childhood forms and deforms the personality. The child or children trapped in an abusive environment is faced with formidable tasks of adaptation. They must find a way to preserve a sense of trust in people who are untrustworthy, safety in a situation that is unsafe, control in a situation that is terrifyingly unpredictable, power in a situation of helplessness. Unable to care for or protect themselves, they must compensate for the failures of adult care and protection with the only means at their disposal, an immature system of psychological defenses” Judith Lewis Herman.
