Showcase Magazine Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 7
SAFEGUARDING
Designated Safeguarding Officer:
Ellen Roberts
07715 658036
Survivor’s Guilt
Survivor’s guilt is often associated with large-scale tragedies or
disasters, but it is just as real and just as damaging for people who
survive abuse. In safeguarding contexts, particularly when working
with adults who have experienced domestic abuse, survivor’s guilt
is frequently misunderstood, minimised, or missed altogether.
WHAT IS IT?
THE LINK BETWEEN GUILT AND CONTROL
Survivor’s guilt is the emotional distress that arises when a
person survives harm that others did not, or when they
escape a situation while others remain trapped in it. It can
include persistent feelings of shame, responsibility, selfblame, and the belief that survival was somehow
undeserved.
Survivor’s guilt does not arise in a vacuum. In many cases of
abuse, guilt is often a continuation of control after physical
separation. The internalised voice of the abuser can persist,
telling the survivor that they are selfish, cruel, or responsible
for harm to others.
For adult survivors of domestic abuse, survivor’s guilt may
emerge long after the abuse has ended. Leaving an abusive
relationship does not always bring relief. For many, it brings
a new set of emotional burdens.
Safeguarding practice must recognise that guilt can
function as an invisible tether, pulling survivors back toward
unsafe dynamics or preventing them from fully accessing
help. Survivor’s guilt can quietly shape how someone views
themselves, their past, and their right to safety.
WHY IS IT A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN?
SURVIVOR’S GUILT IN DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS
Survivor’s guilt can directly undermine safeguarding
outcomes. Survivors may:
Minimise ongoing risks to themselves
Return to unsafe situations to relieve guilt
Resist support or downplay their needs
Feel undeserving of protection, housing, or financial
help
Struggle to engage honestly with professionals
In safeguarding assessments, this can look like reluctance,
inconsistency, or withdrawal. Without understanding
survivor’s guilt, these responses may be misinterpreted as
non-compliance or lack of insight, rather than trauma
responses.
Adult survivors of domestic abuse may experience
survivor’s guilt in several ways. They could feel guilt for:
Leaving children, pets, or other dependants behind,
even temporarily
Escaping when other victims remain with the abuser
Surviving and rebuilding their life when others have
been seriously injured or killed, or are still suffering
Reporting abuse and getting someone else in trouble especially if they still love their abuser.
This guilt is often reinforced by years of coercive control.
Abusers may explicitly or subtly teach victims that they are
responsible for everyone else’s wellbeing. When survivors
finally prioritise their own safety, that conditioning does not
simply disappear.
A SAFEGUARDING RESPONSE
Trauma-informed safeguarding means recognising guilt as
a survival response, not a moral failing. Helpful approaches
include:
Validating the survivor’s feelings without reinforcing
responsibility
Gently challenging beliefs about blame and obligation
Avoiding language that implies judgement or failure
Allowing survivors to move at their own pace
Recognising that guilt may increase at moments of
safety or stability
Professionals should also be mindful that
