Survivor Identity
The term Survivor has been claimed by many as an empowered alternative for “victim.” However, any one term can lack the nuance to describe a person’s full experience. This question is intended to expand our understanding of what being a Survivor means and explore whether people resonate with this or not.
Antoinette
"Survivor means you got through something. It doesn't mean you're fully healed, it doesn't mean you're over, you're done, it just means you survived something."
Amy A
"For anyone who's going through this right now with me or is trying to get to the point to say that they're a Survivor- day one, you're a Survivor."
Sara
"I don't know if I like to think of myself as either a survivor or a victim. Just, it happened."
Acacia
"I feel very much in the trenches. So, it doesn't feel past tense at all. Survivor sounds past tense to me."
Kim
“So survivor to me is- is being an ongoing process. Not like I'm a work in progress, but an ongoing process.”
Amy
" I mean, in a way, yes- I definitely, survived, but I wouldn't call it that.”
Liana
“I want to claim it, just to make sure that I'm not making myself feel shame that really doesn't belong to me.”
Ororo
“So for me, I'm still working on that definition completely. And I know it's going to take some time, but, every day I consider myself a survivor, no matter what.”
Juneberry
“I'm not sure if I identify as a survivor, only because I don't speak about my experience as much. And I don't share it.”
Olive
"I'm a survivor and I'm a human being who is still alive, despite the circumstances, and it's something that I'm very proud of."
Mulberry
“I feel like 'survivor' kind of links you to- still to that thing that happened to you”
Azalea
“Being a survivor doesn't always mean that you come out initially stronger on the other side.”
A
“I think the word survivor means adapting. And overcoming something that has taken you down”
Ash
“Seeing, you know, the situation that my sister went through, um, and knowing that she did survive, right- like her spirit did survive. So even though, you know, her physical body didn't survive, her spirit did.”
Spruce
“You are a survivor because you get to tell your story. And then you warrior through that survival.”
Lilac
“I didn't until recently realize that my situation fell under the DV umbrella, but now reflecting on it and knowing more about what domestic violence was, I would say, yes, I do identify as a survivor.”
Palmetto
“The fact that you get up every day, and you're breathing and living, it makes you a survivor, even if you're still in the situation.”
Clove
“I identify as 'Survivor' in that- doing work with Survivors.”
Foxglove
“And once you realize that, once you realize that you are a victim, and there is really not much you could have done to prevent any of that from happening, then you become a survivor.”
Magnolia
“I overcame everything I was subjected to.”