Fighting Words

Fighting Words explores the short- and long-term effects of child sexual abuse on its survivors and how abuse is linked with suicidal ideation and action. The abuse Suki endures and her response afterward can be understood within the context of research conducted by Drs. Angela Browne and David Finkelhor, who developed the Traumagenic Dynamics Model for understanding the trauma of child sexual abuse (Browne, Angela and David Finkelhor. “The Traumatic Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: A Conceptualization.” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1985). Throughout the story, Suki exhibits behaviors consistent with two of the model’s frameworks for understanding the effects of abuse: powerlessness and stigmatization.

When a child experiences sexual abuse, they are invaded “psychologically, emotionally, and physically, and [are] trapped and helpless” (“Traumagenic Dynamics Model. Mothers of Sexually Abused Children: Information Resources and Support.” Mothers of Sexually Abused Children). This can result in feeling a lack of control in one’s life and includes symptoms such as nightmares and depression. In the weeks leading up to her suicide attempt, Suki’s trauma response grows more severe: “Her face was getting thinner, sharper. She woke up screaming every night” (148). Suki’s subsequent suicide attempt is a manifestation of her depression: “Child and adolescent victims of sexual abuse often talk about or act out thoughts of suicide” (“Grief Reactions in Victims. Mothers of Sexually Abused Children: Information Resources and Support.” Mothers of Sexually Abused Children). After Suki’s suicide attempt, she receives mental health intervention and counseling. With this support, Suki explains to Della her reasoning for wanting to self-harm: “I just wanted things to stop hurting. Just for one minute” (156). Although Suki does not explicitly state so, her suicidal actions can be understood as an attempt to exert control over her life.

Another component of the framework is stigmatization, in which the child “incorporates the self-perception that she is bad, guilty, and responsible for the abuse” (Browne, Angela and David Finkelhor. “The Traumatic Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: A Conceptualization.” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1985). Suki experiences deep shame for the abuse she endured and alienates herself from people in her life that want to support her. When Suki’s best friend, Teena, discovers the abuse, Suki pushes her away. She explains to Della: “Sometimes people know too much. You can’t forget things when you’re around them [...] She looks at me different now” (90). Although Teena has given Suki no indication that she judges her or feels anything other than concern, Suki cuts Teena out of her life as a defense mechanism against her shame.

Suki keeps her history of abuse a secret from those around her for years. During her stay at the psychiatric hospital, Suki finally opens up, which is a transformative step in her journey to healing. By disclosing the abuse, Suki can confront the past and develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her traumatic stress. Browne and Finkelhor describe many different healthy coping mechanisms for survivors of abuse to engage in post-disclosure, some of which Suki participates in, such as the journal she brings home from the psychiatric hospital. Suki also gains a new sense of self-awareness, getting a semicolon tattoo to remind herself that “[her] sentence—[her] story—it’s going to keep going on” (226). She also plans for a career as a medical technician, which shows she has begun to think about the future. As she recovers, Suki begins to see life on the other side of what happened to her and begins the lifelong process of shedding the shame and self-blame that led her to that dark mental space.