Often our abusers keep us under their thumbs, not by action, but by the threat of action. When those abusers are ingrained as a part of a larger system, such as work or family, it makes it even harder to speak out against them or against the system.

Emotional validation is the basis on which we all use to feel secure in being ourselves and expressing our feelings. It can form us into confident people or drive us towards codependent tendencies. It determines whether relationships of all kinds thrive or fail.