Many who end up here have learned to react as they do because of where they come from. They have learned to kill before they can be killed, hurt before they can be hurt. Or, as in my case, that it is to be expected that those with authority over them will hurt them eventually and routinely, and there is nothing they can do about it except endure.

It takes time. It takes allowing themselves to learn differently. And it takes a lot of risk, patience, and vigilance on our part.