People don’t usually hurt others unless they’ve been wounded in a similar way in the past and are in pain themselves. Abuse and mistreatment are learned early and passed down for generations. Punishing people who hurt others without helping them address their own issues isn’t an intelligent or effective strategy for reducing abuse. If wrongdoers are themselves damaged, punishing them is almost like revenge and revenge doesn’t make the world better. Most people who abuse have been abused. The path to true and sustainable healing requires treating everyone involved with…

Understanding and compassion.