Violence Cycle Breakers
Joanna Szproch from Joanna’s Substack
Violence Cycle Breakers"It's hard to understand what you say because I see what you do." ~ James Baldwin
This article aims to raise solidarity action and has four purposes:
The author is aware of the concept of the Victimhood Economy. This is why she decided to write this article in the third person, with the final note in the first person. She chose not to shorten it for quick and easy consumption. It took her a year to process and reorient herself, and writing about it all took at least a month. She has gathered extensive information, which can't be fully summarized, but this serves as a first attempt. She believes true reflection can't be squeezed into a brief, limited text. Given our declining ability to focus and understand, partly due to addictive device design, she strongly recommends reading the text in sections. Now, she is prepared to share her insights and a call to action. Collective intention and authorship are vital for building a better future. Information is the oxygen of democracy. In relationships and society alike, the same dynamic occurs: when one controls the narrative and denies the other the right to co-create, the story becomes deceptive, and consent is fabricated. We are robbed of our autonomy — and that is violence. Physical violence leaves sudden wounds; psychological violence causes chronic pain, autoimmune problems, and nervous system breakdown. Both annihilate our livelihood. Truth matters. If we are robbed of it, we are on the road to totalitarianism. Capitalism, communism, oligarchy — the type of system doesn’t matter. In a declining society, everything becomes propaganda (a lie). The substance is secondary; marketing appearances are everything. Polarities — right/wrong, crime/punishment — are tools of distraction. They stir emotions, make us fight each other, and turn us into puppets easy to control. This is not the truth. It is a narrative created by power. And once we act on manufactured consent, it is no longer chosen. The deception — it only feels like it was. The same dynamic exists in violent relationships: one in control — the perpetrator — and the survivor who has been deceived. Violence is about power. This is not about abstract debates on crime and punishment, but about stopping factual harm. The goal is not moral policing or virtue signaling, but building reparative systems that prevent harm. Survivors must be protected. Perpetrators must be held accountable
Because we live in a patriarchal system, masculinity is often bound with power. Most domestic violence is gender-based, rooted in the idea that women are second-class humans. Men and women are both traumatised in this culture, but men are disproportionately more perpetrators and women victims. Please spare this debate on nature vs nurture. It’s no longer just about the debate, but rather specific measures we should take action on now! Violence can occur in other constellations, and some women also act as defenders of patriarchal order. But we focus on material truth, gender-based violence where injustice is apparent, and we demand system change, protect those who are harmed, and scrutinize those who are hurting. We don’t want to relativise material truth; we acknowledge epistemology and context, and yet demand responsibility, not justification. To break the cycle, we must leave behind the deceptive dynamic known as DARVO, which is also reflected in the concept of reflective control in geopolitics, both of which employ the same analogy: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. The only way out is to leave the system of deceptive, misogynistic narratives and refuse to play the games of perpetrators. Clarity comes only with distance, healing, and time. Leaving is hard because perpetrators use manipulative tactics that bind survivors. But once outside, she sees the truth and can ask for help.
In patriarchy, there is this empathy gap, where most of it goes to those who uphold their power. War veterans receive trauma care, while women survivors have to carry the burden alone and are still blamed, asked to justify why they stayed, etc. She didn’t choose to be born a woman, but she is happy to be one. She didn’t choose to be born into a patriarchy and can barely do anything to change it, certainly not alone. She can choose, though, not to play its games. She can choose not to be a martyr that this system enforces her to be. After surviving a massive life storm, she hopes to live — yet she knows the future is uncertain, and we can still shape it. It is our chance, and we can demand the system change — a call to stop deception and protect us from dehumanisation. She wants peace — not because she is a lunatic — but because she understands the dynamics of the situation. Wars are often used as a distraction by those in power to maintain the status quo. But the system remains deceptive, and women’s lives remain endangered. She calls for change! This moment presents an opportunity to shift toward liberation. If we take it, we can prevent further harm and build a future rooted in freedom.
Her Situation She was in a violent relationship and had been assaulted a couple of times by an intimate partner. The court confirmed the assaults. He received a fine. Case closed. She had believed the conviction would be enough for him to recognize the harm and stop. Instead, he spread lies, reversed roles, and presented himself as the victim. She called out the author of the abuse and the community that protected him by refusing to believe the survivors. Until then, she had kept the information private, hoping he would cease the behavior. His continued deception made it clear she could no longer remain silent. Her action was about accountability. She aimed to protect herself from public voyeurism of her suffering — retraumatization she had no obligation to endure. In her public statement, she addressed the perpetrator and those enabling him. Evidence showed there were other survivors, whom he continued to humiliate publicly, while the law still protected him. However, under German law, she could not name him — even though the crimes had been proven. He used this as an opportunity to abuse her further, accusing her of defamation. As a result, she was compelled to take legal action to defend herself against accusations of libel. This involved legal procedures, hiring a lawyer, and enduring months of stress and anxiety. The case was eventually dismissed — the assaults had already been proven previously, which the attorney only reminded the prosecutor of from previous case files — but it cost her nearly €1,000 and inflicted psychological strain. This was an apparent injustice. As a cultural worker and a mother, she cannot recoup those costs, and she also wants to start living again. Now, after proving that she didn’t lie, she could proceed with opening a civil case to prove he is a liar, but she does not want to lose more of her precious life; this is the “game” she refuses to play. Instead, she demands systemic change because this is a legal injustice. The law protected him, not her. She was not allowed to speak the truth. Survivors are encouraged to report, as if more testimony would help — it does not. What is needed is accountability for perpetrators, not the instrumentalization of survivors. She needs freedom to heal. He needs to be prevented from harming again. She knows that she cannot fight it all alone and needs her community to stand with her. This is why she calls for solidarity. She organizes collective efforts — a zine and community initiatives — to break the cycle and stand together against violence. The focus is clear: ensure perpetrators face accountability and survivors are protected.
Trauma-Informed Care: Social and Political RootsThe modern concept of trauma-informed care emerged from social and political struggles. In the 1980s, veterans fought for state healthcare, and women demanded recognition and protection from male violence. Later, movements like Black Lives Matter drew on the language of trauma to frame collective struggle. Judith Herman’s Trauma and Recovery (1992) emphasized that trauma has societal causes, and therefore recovery must also be social and political. Healing requires a context that affirms and protects survivors, joining them with witnesses in a shared alliance. In the late 1990s, Sandra Bloom expanded the idea into “safe spaces” for healing. Public health bodies such as SAMHSA later adopted principles for trauma-informed care, summarized as the Four Rs:
Care must not be shaped by market forces or surveillance capitalism, but by social responsibility. High-quality therapy and long-term support should be universally accessible through socialized systems. Popular culture, social media, and academic discourse cannot heal trauma. What is needed is a political struggle that protects survivors’ private experiences, offers true collective reckoning with suffering, and builds spaces for recovery grounded in dignity, safety, and solidarity.
The Mechanism of Violence and Society’s ResponseBlame is misplaced. Society often shifts focus onto the survivor instead of holding the attacker accountable. This isolates the survivor and forces them to fight alone. The empathy gap. Public discourse often shows more compassion for perpetrators than for those who have been harmed. Even cultural narratives frequently center on male suffering while sidelining women’s pain, reinforcing misogyny. Voices are instrumentalized. Survivors who speak out risk becoming scapegoats, carrying collective guilt and shame instead of receiving justice. Their suffering is turned into spectacle, sometimes even consumed as entertainment, while systemic oppression remains untouched. Washing violence. By instrumentalizing victim voices, society “washes” violence — appearing to acknowledge it while actually protecting existing power structures. The alternative. Survivors must not be left to stand alone. Collective solidarity means standing behind them, ensuring trauma-informed care, providing reparations and compensation for harm, building group and community support networks, and demanding policy change from governments that should serve the people. This shift — from isolating survivors to confronting oppressive structures — is how the cycle of violence can finally be disrupted. The principle is clear: the burden must rest with the author of violence, never with the survivor.
Collective Demands to LawmakersImmediate Protection PERPETRATOR’S REPENTANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY It is a red flag when individuals or institutions pressure victims to remain silent about abuse. When a culture prioritizes forgiveness over repentance, it enables repeated injustice. Abuse thrives when perpetrators are allowed to offer superficial apologies without changing their behavior. The demand must shift: victims should not be required to forgive. Perpetrators must demonstrate repentance in measurable terms—acknowledging the harm done, accepting responsibility, providing reparations, and committing to behavioral change that prevents them from causing further damage. Institutions that pressure victims to forgive without ensuring accountability are complicit in perpetuating injustice. Their duty is to protect victims, thoroughly investigate allegations, and implement safeguards that ensure the perpetrator cannot cause harm again. Responsibility rests solely with the perpetrator. Forgiveness is a personal decision that belongs only to the victim. It cannot be demanded, imposed, or substituted for accountability. The standard must be clear: no more cultural expectation of automatic forgiveness. Perpetrators must face legal consequences, publicly acknowledge the truth, and have the opportunity for rehabilitation through sustained, visible action. Redemption is possible only through consistent behavioral change — not performative promises. The demand is repentance, responsibility, reparation, and prevention of further harm.
PREVENTION OF HARM In a liberal society, rehabilitation may be offered as an option, but it must also be recognized as the only legitimate path to redemption. Interventions must prioritize the prevention of further harm. Any therapeutic, monitoring, or corrective measures must be supervised by qualified professionals, independently verified over time, and subject to strict requirements such as sobriety and abstinence from specific activities. Short-term anti-aggression courses or other minimal interventions are insufficient and do not meet the standard of accountability. Only where the perpetrator demonstrates a genuine willingness to cooperate and makes sustained efforts to participate in comprehensive, long-term programs can such measures be regarded as valid and credible. SYSTEMIC REFORM Survivors must not be instrumentalized to demonstrate abuse. Legal and social systems must prioritize survivor protection, belief, and prevention, ensuring interventions address the deeper psychological roots of abuse. Peace means survivors have the right to heal in privacy, without retraumatization. Preventing this dynamic requires refusing the expectation that survivors sacrifice themselves for the “greater good,” as if it were their duty after enduring harm. This expectation is actually again a responsibility on victims, not perpetrators, and forces women into invisible labor and reinforces discrimination.
SOLIDARITY AND THE CAUSE The solidarity initiative is a call for collective action. It raises funds to cover legal costs for her defense against defamation accusations after her guilt was officially acknowledged, and the apparent injustice of the legal system, which doesn’t prevent perpetrators from retaliation. It is a call to build a community committed to nonviolent condemnation of violence. This is not moral policing — it is an apparent refusal to accept injustice masked by legal, bureaucratic, or mainstream narratives. When society declines, it tends to become bureaucratic. Just as a company loses money, those in power focus on preserving their positions of power. Rules multiply, paperwork dominates, and processes suffocate action. In collapse, society becomes authoritarian, and coercion replaces consent. We will not allow the system to deceive us. We act with common sense and from the heart. We stand against dehumanization. Only with enthusiastic consent and invitation, through collective effort, creative defiance, and solidarity, we reclaim agency, confront injustice, and ensure that perpetrators face accountability while survivors are protected!
STEP 1: OPEN CALL: VIOLENCE CYCLE BREAKERS ZINE The zine is the first step. Guided by their hearts and playful eyes, the zine will be curated together by her and her daughter, those two, who never asked for that. They will also collaborate on the design and aim to create a silkscreen printed zine in a local community DIY workshop. This OPEN CALL is not a competition — the goal is to create a collective visual manifesto that will be distributed for raising awareness, and to collect the money for her legal costs. It is essential to demonstrate the collective effort and intentions of many based on mutual aid. They want to start with this small gesture, but if more submissions are received than expected, it will be a sign of demand for future zines of this kind. Step by step, we build together. There is no funding, no system control — everyone participates because the cause matters, not for profit, but collective recognition. Their focus is on experience, the expression of truth, and a call for change from the heart — not opinions. They are seeking diverse, simple, honest works on the theme “Violence Cycle Breaker”, made by hand/analog:
The zine will be created as manually as possible, utilizing hands-on techniques whenever possible—the outcome: 16 pages, A6 format (postcard size), featuring 16 works. Approach is raw and playful — no digital manipulation; imperfect is perfect. Motivation and Approach
Format & Guidelines of Open Call
STEP 2: SOLIDARITY PARTY — COLLECTIVE EFFORT This is a call to action: a gathering in Berlin for people to come together and take local action. After the zine production, it is time to organize a solidarity party, a fundraiser for legal costs, and a zine launch. She cannot do this alone. The solidarity party is planned as a collective, self-organized effort to support the cause, raise awareness, and help cover her legal expenses and the costs of producing the zine, including materials and contributions for the community workshop. Complete documentation of both legal fees and zine production will be provided. Contributors are asked to bring voluntary labor, creativity, and heart. She knows she cannot change the whole system alone. Silence isolates; sharing connects. She is seeking any help:
What matters most is building bridges, emphasizing lived experiences rather than opinions. This will be a space for nonviolent condemnation of violence from our hearts, not moral policing. We need to connect by avoiding prejudice, being curious about one another, while remaining skeptical of the system and power, and refusing to accept deceptive legal, bureaucratic, and mainstream narratives. While decentralization is essential, more events for exchange are needed. Different social groups with diverse perspectives can bring valuable insights. She hopes that in the future an umbrella of collectives will form, connecting different bubbles and overlapping networks to exchange knowledge, pool resources, and grow stronger together. The next immediate step is a meeting in a physical space in Berlin — a local gathering where we can act together. Later, the plan is to host community events in the format of creative defiance, power-critical, addressing oppression, and abuse dynamics. The broader goal is to focus on systemic solutions, prevention, and recovery — not righteousness. We start locally, connect globally.
Who She Is She is a Polish mother, sister, and survivor born with wonder, carrying it into adulthood against all odds. Exiled in Berlin with her daughter after rejecting Poland’s xenophobic norms, she chose to breathe in a city filled with diversity and art, while carrying the pulse of Slavic fantasy. Rooted in Polish subversive art and solidarity, her creative defiance shapes her path. Liberation requires love, upheld by the courage to reveal our authentic selves—measured, deliberate, and resistant to conformity. She nurtures resilience, passing strength and skills to her daughter. Together, they cultivate rituals of imaginative uprising, transforming spaces into sanctuaries of trust, tenderness, and multigenerational care. They believe that until all are free, we are all imprisoned. Non-violence means respecting one another, living in harmony and reciprocity, and advocating for a cause without resorting to violence. Human imagination and creativity have the power to shape reality. From curiosity and defiance, vital joy arises, transforming wounds into collective healing and reclaiming joy, authentic expression, and the right to thrive. HER PERSONAL NOTE
~ Tammy Triolo.
As an intellectual and artist, I wrote it as a first impulse, being aware of the local political situation in Berlin, where cuts are being made that affect both the cultural and social sectors. For me, this is clear — it is an attack on our freedom, and we need to respond to it as well as make a civil call. My own personal experience, as well as the voices of victims, are being instrumentalized to wash responsibility from the government. And that government is to take responsibility for the civilians whom it promises to serve. I am aware that victimhood is monetised and used to gain sympathy for power, yet there are only more restrictions, and our rights are slowly taken away from us. This action is not meant to suggest that we want to take on the job of lawmakers for free; this is resistance — the more pressure we face, the angrier we become, and we will not be silenced! Yet my role here now is not to draw attention to my own victimhood, but to demand accountability from those who are responsible for our protection. I am aware of the mechanism of monopolizing victimhood, and that is usually another form of manipulation: empathy is used only for those who already have the most power. We need to decolonize empathy and look at the inequality of where attention for social justice is directed. In the neoliberal reality, everything is being monetized. While there is an expectation of transparency, I believe the most transparency should be afforded to those who hold the most responsibility — policymakers — and yet citizens should retain the right to maintain as much privacy as possible. It is for me a struggle to attach a label of survivor, because I expose myself to those practices, my voice is instrumentalised, and yet I am still associated with the stigma that doesn’t change because it is up to the mentality created by the mainstream in the hands of neoliberal capital. I reject being a martyr. I want to free myself from the situation I was unwillingly placed in. My choice is to live fully, and my right is to thrive—not to carry the burden and remain stuck in this identity forever. Yes, I am very proud that I survived; it took an enormous effort, and I can only give myself credit for rescuing myself. It truly felt like a mission impossible, and yet here I am: still alive, still healing, and wanting to enjoy what remains—not endlessly processing the injustice I endured, but creating a better environment around me to enjoy what’s left. I am still processing, healing, and gaining strength, but that does not mean I can change everything alone or sacrifice myself without support from my community. Where are you? I need the community to stand with me and help me amplify that we are aware of losing our freedoms. Because I learned from my experience the tactics of manipulation, I am only ready to call it out loud: we are getting together to fight this. Illusory narratives will not deceive us. We have clarity, and we know where we are standing. As a cultural worker, I face significant financial strain and limited time, which prevents me from completing all my tasks immediately or doing everything solo. I am keeping documentation, but I must be cautious about what I publish, which requires legal advice that adds to my costs and time. I want to be transparent about my limitations; gaining more expertise needs time and legal support I currently can't afford. This initial effort is small, but I hope it will help us connect, gather resources, and expand in the future, increasing visibility for the issues I share with other survivors. I emphasize—this is about our right to name those responsible. One day, you might find yourself in the same situation! Remember what we once couldn't believe—it's happening now. I understand that everything now feels urgent, and this sense of urgency is part of a disinformation tactic used by those in power to increase our fear and helplessness, leading us to believe we do not influence the future. However, I think we do have that power: to make better choices, to come together rather than be divided as those in power wish. I read that non-violent communication can be classist, so I am learning to communicate in ways that people with less privilege and knowledge can understand. I don't want to sound condescending—after all, the more knowledge we gain, the greater our responsibility. I know non-violence involves respecting each other's needs and acknowledging our different experiences and perspectives. I recognize that everything is complex, and I want to avoid the trap of certainty; I am eager to learn and correct my mistakes. It’s not about performance but about integrity and humility. I believe trust doesn't require us to be experts—what unites us far exceeds our differences. I firmly support human rights and believe that identity should never be used as a weapon against others. Unfortunately, identity often influences how people are treated poorly, as it becomes a means by which we evaluate ourselves and others. This leads to the standard view of ‘us’ versus ‘them,’ with ‘they’ seen as enemies. Such xenophobia is just an artificial perception that we need to recognize and actively unlearn. Our behavior, rather than labels, should define us—not through moral policing, but from genuine sincerity. What if I told you that our true nature is filled with love, and that our superego has sometimes made us retaliatory and evil?
Humans are born with one brain and one heart, which should be utilized to their fullest potential, yet we don’t need to perform to prove our worth. I envision a world where worth is intrinsic—where we are valued simply for being, not for what can be extracted from us. From this foundation, we can strive to thrive, collectively contributing to life while preserving individuality. In this world, we understand we are not the center of the universe and recognize one another. We can choose to give freely only if we genuinely want to. This is true communion. We can also be ambitious, but that ambition should focus on contribution—driven, not by extraction or performance, but by a genuine desire to improve our lives. It’s not about competition but about being part of one team—humanity—within the animal kingdom on Mother Earth.
Artificial polarities—ongoing 'us versus them” mindsets—are a form of deception. We must remain vigilant to avoid accepting falsehoods that tighten control and may lead to military conflicts aimed at preventing collective uprisings. Quick fixes are ineffective—theories need real-world testing; words alone won't suffice, and empty promises won't deceive us. Rise is founded on consent and unity; decline is characterized by bureaucracy and deception; collapse is marked by coercion and a focus on survival. In democracies, free expression is vital, enabling us to expose the emperor’s nudity and strengthening society through criticism. I advocate for justice for all, but greater power must come with increased accountability. If this cycle continues in the West, democratic freedoms will erode, economic crises will ensue as public engagement declines, and authorities may divert unrest into foreign wars—wars that deflect anger outward and hinder revolutions at home. But we still have the power to stop this. Together, we can break the cycle of violence! I escaped an abusive relationship—a pivotal moment of personal and professional empowerment. I was conditioned to comply through fear of punishment and couldn't speak out at the time. Even now, I can't name my abuser or protect others because the legal system shields him, not me. Survivors are expected to prove their innocence. This is a systemic issue. I write this not to confess but to resist. I reject cultural pressures for forgiveness and personal growth. We don’t have to find beauty in betrayal. We don’t have to spiritualize what broke us. I am not grateful for a lesson where someone betrayed me. Healing isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself—it’s about refusing to comply and maintaining integrity. I reject the system that protects perpetrators, blames victims, shames female pleasure, and turns intimacy into control. I want to be a cycle breaker and set an example for my daughter.  I escaped Catholic Poland only to face a rebranded patriarchy in the so-called “liberal” Germany. Seven years after #MeToo, anti-feminist forces still deny women’s rights, while the extremists rooted in Abrahamic narratives, as El Sadawi brilliantly points out, gain influence and move toward fascism. We face the deep-rooted belief that a woman’s value depends on being conquered by a man, that her worth relies on male desire, and that female pleasure is considered dirty—whereas male pleasure is seen as a right to be claimed, not shared. This conditioning is ingrained in law, culture, and family. We refuse to obey it. Reclaiming our autonomy is a personal and political fight. Live Your Fantasy Fearlessly, and don’t let illusions deceive you! I'm uncertain about what is happening now, especially where this reflective control begins in a diverse world. I recognize my limited knowledge, but it appears as if mirrors are showing old patriarchal algorithms that are speeding up: fascism is gaining momentum. Surprisingly, Germany isn't as liberal as I expected. Returning to Poland isn't feasible either; conditions there seem worse, caught in a strange domino effect. I observe influences from Russia, Trump flirting with Putin, chaos in Poland—neoliberal strategies combined with a patriarchal desire for control. Literacy rates in the West are dropping; we blame ourselves as attention spans diminish, yet this is by design—a calculated gamble with addictive content. Yes, we have choices, but they are constrained within a system we scarcely control—and it's only worsening. People are seen as assets, objects to be exploited by those who operate the system.
Consent should be more than just agreement; it should be an enthusiastic invitation. Our bodies are our own—our personal space. Instead of merely accepting a visitor, we extend a genuine invitation. Systemic flaws are rooted in birth. A girl enters a society where her female body is seen as property—not her own, but belonging to men and the state. From the beginning, she is estranged from her body, compelled to view it through others' perspectives. Her worth is recognized only when her body is liked, desired, or viewed as a reproductive tool, not based on her own choice, but claimed by others—especially men and women with a slave mentality, seeking the master’s approval. For these men, especially those she has been told to serve as an object. She possesses a body she doesn’t own, yet she is denied having common sense; her mind is not acknowledged. She is gaslit, ridiculed, and her personhood is dismissed. A man’s desire signals her worth, serving as proof that she belongs in society. She doesn’t need to be told this explicitly; she observes and internalizes it. By adulthood, she is expected to “learn boundaries,” but an unfair premise has already conditioned her. Boundaries become a burden: she must now defend herself against programming that should never have existed. Her body should only be hers. Nobody enters another’s home without consent—so why should anyone feel entitled to enter a body without invitation? It’s not just about “consent,” which presumes access—it’s about the invitation. The body is a home that belongs solely to its inhabitant. Women are being pushed back toward purely reproductive roles — some through pressure, some by ideological manipulation. I don't believe anyone can force this on us without coercion or sexual violence. Perhaps that will happen; if it doesn't, some will simply withdraw, resign, go celibate, or opt out. I'm not saying we shouldn't be mothers (I’m reading now “Of Woman Born” (1977) by Adrienne Rich)— but not in a world that treats us and our children as resources, as soldiers for wars invented to suppress civil disobedience and block liberation. We can no longer ’ve had enough! I recall times when sex was gentle and consensual; perhaps that memory feels as far away as Eden — a myth of innocence before stories that blame the woman for everything. Who is the serpent in that story? Who truly holds responsibility? When did it all start? I wish we could return to Eden. Honestly, why can't we find that kind of harmony on Earth? I believe in personal responsibility, but only now do I understand the dynamics of the abuse I endured—I had to escape the gaslighting created by my abuser. Conflicts are unavoidable, but violence remains a choice, and the abuser is accountable for choosing it. In this system, I am expected to fix everything myself—if that’s even possible—without any acknowledgment that I’ve lost time, my health, and my desire to build a new family. I am also expected to fight the system, even though I am only beginning to recover from severe damage. In trauma culture, it’s all placed on the individual to cope, rather than addressing the system that causes the root issues. Last year, I participated willingly in a project aimed at preventing gender-based violence. I was asked to deliver a speech encouraging other survivors to report their abusers. However, I now realize that this doesn’t truly help us if the legal system refuses to shift the responsibility from perpetrators to victims. Healing shouldn't be solely on the survivors. The value of trauma storytelling lies in the fact that hearing other survivors’ stories is incredibly valuable. Yet, I’m also aware that some people read trauma stories for pleasure, seeking a kind of satisfaction—what I call trauma porn. It’s sadistic and highlights that we live in a system that rewards such sadism. I wish I could speak openly to raise awareness without it being exploited to whitewash the system. I’ve learned that in this system, truth-telling can often cause more harm than progress. My previous belief—that I should be more outspoken—has changed after facing further abuse and discovering that retaliation against me is legal. Now I have to pay out of pocket to defend myself, even though my abuse was already proven. The system often prioritizes the protection of the vulnerable over their own protection. I thought speaking out was my civic duty, but I now see that fixing the system is a shared responsibility.
Some members of my community in Berlin showed a lack of personal integrity. Many who knew me didn't check on me or offer assistance. Some declined support when I asked, claiming they had never endured my abuser's actions and therefore wouldn't get involved. In Berlin, celebrated for its progressive values and a haven for those fleeing conservative backgrounds, some overlook that freedom entails responsibility. If you oppose outdated systems, you are obliged to work towards change; this duty is collective. Speaking about social justice while ignoring a survivor makes one complicit by silence. It appears that this person, the perpetrator, does not exhibit genuine repentance, which clearly indicates a reluctance to change. However, many people have been harmed by him — we are not just women! In fact, we were not only women. He remains a threat, but we cannot reveal his identity. Do you understand? This suggests that someone else is very likely to be harmed by him – but how many more could there be? I also want to thank everyone who remained supportive, believed despite his manipulative stories, and tried to understand what happened. I know that from an outsider's perspective, it might have seemed like I was in a happy relationship (I believed that too for a time). Those who witnessed or experienced his abuse—whether during the initial or subsequent investigations—have my deepest gratitude. Their support has been invaluable, not just in confronting the abuser but also for my own well-being: helping me stay sane. PERSONAL IS GEOPOLITICAL I was born in Warsaw, Poland, one of the most traumatized countries in Europe. High PTSD rates, dysfunctional families, alcoholism — this all comes from our history of oppression, never truly acknowledged. And I don’t want this to be instrumentalized in these reflective control tactics by whoever pulls the threads. Trauma often persists when left unaddressed. Poland’s suffering was not only due to Nazi and Soviet occupation but also because of over a century of colonization before WWI. My grandmother lost her parents at the start of WWII during the Warsaw bombing, which killed millions and displaced entire communities. The Warsaw Uprising, which took place towards the end of the war, 81 years ago, lasted more than two months of intense fighting. During this time, insurgent units lost nearly 16,000 soldiers, including 10,000 killed and 6,000 missing. About 15,000 soldiers, including roughly 900 officers and 2,000 women, were captured by the Germans. Civilian casualties ranged from 150,000 to 200,000. After the surrender, control shifted again to a different regime. Stalinism.
My parents, born in the 1950s, don't quite match the typical American stereotype of Baby Boomers. They grew up under the Soviet regime, where trauma was never fully resolved—this was a period when the KGB enforced reflective control. I was born during communism, and I believe American Marxists don’t fully grasp what that truly involved. For us, it wasn’t merely theoretical but a brutal reality rooted in authoritarianism. Germany’s history is also complex, and with those who lived in the East, we share some common ground but also have differences—such as how Germans faced perhaps the harshest censorship and Stasi surveillance, or how those who remained religious endured repression. At the same time, they were allowed to enjoy much more in bed than our dysfunctional Polish erotics, which the church still scrutinized. Discussing this, particularly in light of another anniversary of unification, prompts crucial questions. Some see it as a strategic yet covert form of exploitation. A detailed analysis must examine how Western neoliberal wealth influenced the post-Soviet era of the former DDR. Deep introspection is essential, but it can’t be done in isolation. Genuine reflection needs relational mirrors, as freedom isn't individual—true freedom exists only if everyone is free. Open dialogue is essential. Yet because of American world domination, many of their narratives and systems have seeped into the European mentality. I am aware of colonialism, of Western supremacy. In this new multipolar reality, we must protect knowledge ecologies, prevent their flattening into a single narrative, and safeguard Europe’s complexity. I believe that the indigenous heritage of Europe holds its richest potential in its unity, and that is the reason we must protect it, not because it is superior, but because it has grown organically in this land. In this environment, we can co-create it. And through free speech, we also protect freedom and guard against the resurgence of fascist narratives because all of this is intertwined: power, control, patriarchy, war, and gender-based violence.
And today, Germany still hasn’t reckoned with the continuity of its Nazi fortunes — Volkswagen, BMW/Quandt, Porsche-Piëch dynasties and others still dominate its economy. With the car industry now in decline, the danger is that Germany may once again redirect industry into weapons, repeating its old pattern. Worse, it cloaks itself in “supremacist guilt,” using memory culture as a claim to moral superiority. Violence breeds violence. Any narrative of truth must keep proportions clear: supremacy and xenophobia destroy societies from within. I hope we can break this cycle, but we must proceed cautiously. Reparative rhetoric often masks populism and the exploitation of unhealed wounds. Now living in Germany, I believe that Polish trauma makes Poles struggle to control their impulses. In contrast, Germans, who might have experienced trauma differently, tend to repress their emotions and seem detached, almost in a state of ongoing dissociation. Not everyone fits this pattern, and I challenge stereotypes; I’m not here to judge. I’m simply sharing my personal observations and experiences. To me, the cruelty of Putin and his oligarchs is especially heinous and sadistic because it shows that Russian soldiers' lives are seen as worthless and that their own people are dehumanized. This raises questions about whether Putin is capable of caring for anyone or anything beyond his desire to dominate. Even if he dies, other oligarchs will do everything to maintain the status quo. Never justify Russian imperialism. Supporters of universalism should strive to expose all injustices and understand their roots; only through this can genuine progress be achieved. The situation is complex, but locally in Europe, we cannot ignore the underlying, diverse phobias and hierarchical conflicts within the continent. We need to strive to embrace dialogue.
Poles in Germany now make up the second-largest diaspora in the country. Our newly elected Polish president—an ex-pimp—Karol Nawrocki—is using this unresolved issue to boost his popularity by demanding that Germany pay reparations for WWII, without addressing Soviet damages. He claims he is not Putin's adversary but believes in Trump’s support. At the same time, Trump, who is a grown-up baby with an unstable psyche, is just fascinated by Putin's authoritarian power, who, in my eyes, appears as a sadistic psychopath. This approach makes no sense! Why should ordinary German taxpayers foot the bill for decisions they didn't make? And yet, there’s an urgent need for more transparency about Nazi-related finances and for a sincere, civil discussion on the topic. I don’t aim to cause controversy but to promote unity based on trust and openness—where no group tries to exploit another. We must work to rebuild the shattered trust, which can only start with honest dialogue and a genuine willingness to listen to those scarred by past wounds, setting aside defensiveness, superiority, or guilt. The key words here could be: Repentance, Contrition, Reparation, Consolation, Solace, and Loving Kindness. Let us strive to connect on a profound, humane level.
NIE WIEDER FÜR ALLE! Genuine repentance needs to come from individuals’ conscience, not be enforced by political demands. I believe that financial resources derived from Nazi assets, rather than taxpayer funds, could be crucial in promoting genuine reconciliation. This involves enabling meaningful dialogue, healing injuries, recognizing the harm caused, and actively working to repair the damage. To support more dialogue and help us realize we are not divided into ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Still, we are all brothers and sisters, originating from the same single-celled organism. Together, we can take vital steps toward building a fairer and more compassionate future. Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, Merz, Xi Jinping, Nawrocki — and let’s not forget the women, such as Weidel, who are part of these fascist aspirations, sharing the same oppressive mentality. Oppressed individuals are still oppressed—our goal should be one form of justice. While history is complex, injustice is a glaring fact that can be traced. We must reject relativizing it or creating narratives that obscure it. Unresolved trauma often leads to more trauma, as conflicts frequently stem from past unresolved issues. Is it possible to prevent further bloodshed? Ongoing trauma results in additional suffering, yet we don’t require more self-proclaimed gurus. No gurus, no kings! What we truly need is collective solidarity, hope, and a focus on small, local actions. Shoutout to a local Berlin initiative in my neighborhood, Spore, which is now also partnering with Schillerwerkstatt e.V. on my ongoing education program. Spore is an excellent example of how private equity can build a foundation that challenges silencing and empowers those who are silenced, amplifying their voices. We need more people with wealth and courage — not just superficial gestures, but genuinely giving a voice to those who need it most, the most vulnerable and oppressed. The real effect is what counts. No more Kafkaesque, which is presented as a helpful hand but is actually an invisible Knebel! I wish some initiatives focused on supporting dialogue within local communities would help prevent the growing popularity of right-wing narratives. The frustration among people, especially those from the former GDR, should be addressed through listening, as they often feel like second-class citizens. I want to acknowledge all participants in my empowering program, which brings together migrant women from countries where passports often lead to second-class citizenship. I never imagined that, after having many bad experiences organizing grassroots initiatives, you showed me that it is possible. Now, having that embodied experience, I want to continue this legacy as a multiplier of collective creative defiance. You inspire me to keep going through these uncertain times and not lose hope. Returning to my roots, revisiting my printmaking knowledge, and acquiring new skills, such as horizontal collaboration combining our potentials and resources, sharing knowledge, and supporting each other. This is also the reason I will skip Paris Photo this year; instead, I will focus on a solidarity project where everyone is an individual contributor, united by a common goal, rather than groupthink. With my Polish subversive nature, I remain cautious of political ties and prefer to think for myself.
I wish we could form more groups where differing opinions wouldn’t prevent us from fighting for the greater good—ending violence. I’m aware of issues of intersectionality, but all of this stems from academia and PMC, rather than the lived experiences of those who are more concerned with practical applications. I wish we could return to more experimentation, as most of the fundamental concepts come from experiences of a male-bodied mind. I want us to be more connected to our bodies and souls, and I wish males would also start feeling more, as the patriarchy has removed us all from experiencing ourselves wholly. We are so fragmented, and we should strive for more interconnectedness. This is why I struggle to identify with any specific category circulating in recent discourse, except for being human and my unique experience of being a mother. I like to think of myself as a hybrid named Joanna.  I know I would need a deeper intellectual dive to study theory, but I want to connect more with my intuition and the wisdom of our ancestors. I believe we have lost much of it through categorization. I need to experience it firsthand, and then, based on that experience, I may conduct some practice-based research. I’d also like to elaborate on the nondual theory of mind and body as a continuum, as presented by philosopher Anna Ciaunica. I’ve only briefly explored that idea, which might be a broader viewpoint, but that’s not the focus here. Unity among emergent systems should be our goal. Despite differences, gender injustice frightens me most, as it’s pervasive across all cultures, ethnicities, and levels of development. Whether it is nature or nurture, I advocate for dismantling the system from its roots—addressing patriarchal colonization of our minds and souls, which I see as the fundamental error.
~ Maya Angelou With that said, for now, I have decided to focus solely on personal healing, which includes relational work with my daughter and connecting with other survivors. I want to learn how to trust again. I also plan to translate my experience into collective art, engaging with others—those who understand what personal integrity means, my friends who are my chosen family, many of whom are also survivors, as well as people who believe accountability should rest with perpetrators, not those who were most harmed, and who understand that they should never be sacrificed. Three years after removing myself from this nightmare, I feel better—my trauma responses have softened. I can manage basic goals, like getting enough sleep, but I no longer have the energy to fight alone. I still believe the loss we suffered, together with my daughter, should be compensated. I could only imagine seeking reparations if I had more support from a collective of acquaintances, locals, and people I encounter through my community. And yet, we all face ongoing atrocities, and the threat of war feels increasingly real. I think I know why this is—it is the fall of an aging empire—and I pray to the goddess that this ship will not sink—with all of us aboard.
My experience stems from cultural liminality. I feel nostalgia for Slavic temperament, but also feel suffocated by Polish trauma and Catholic colonization. Berlin promised diversity and openness, but soon revealed another constraint: rules presented as security often mask control. Between Slavic romanticism—passionate to the point of lunatism—and Prussian strictness, where thinking outside the box feels nearly impossible. Artists are exploited, museums depend on our labor, and funding often serves to wash away guilt. I’m retreating to create a space for myself where self-awareness comes from relational mirroring—freedom is not solitary. Cycle breakers challenge complicity—there is no hierarchy in victimhood. Making the zine with collective voices, designing it together with my daughter, and printing it in silkscreen at my community DIY workshop, we create it together to strengthen our spirits. Liberation requires stubborn love as much as resistance. I still believe in nonviolence, and I hope that before any bloody revolution, we can unite, stop arguing about our differences, and refuse to play power games. Creative sabotage should bring back stolen joy and beauty, not just destruction. Start small and break the cycle of violence.  Betrayal Trauma Recovery – When an Abuser Denies His Abuse Collectively Free – Nonviolent Communication & Privilege DARVO – Wikipedia Ending Violence against Women and Girls: Protecting Human Rights PDF Germany’s commitment to combating gender-based violence as a human rights and development priority, highlighting global initiatives that address its structural causes through locally grounded, culturally sensitive approaches. Exposure to Self-Reported Traumatic Events and Probable PTSD in a National Sample of Poles Fighting the Neurotrash (2014), Gina Rippon. PDF A short visual explanation debunking the myth of cognitive differences between the sexes. Free Speech on Retreat, Nawal El Saawadi (PDF) In 2007, Egyptian writer Nawal El Saadawi faced charges from Al-Azhar University for “insulting Islam” after challenging patriarchal language in religion. She condemned the case as proof of Egypt’s growing religious and political repression, silencing free thought. Invisible Inheritance: How Poland Became the World’s Most Traumatized Nation Male Fantasies, Women Floods Bodies History (1977), Klaus Theweleit PDF The first volume of this two-volume work provides an imaginative interpretation of the image of women in the collective unconscious of the fascist “warrior” through a study of the fantasies of the men centrally involved in the rise of Nazism. Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany’s Wealthiest Dynasties An investigative account of how Germany’s richest dynasties, including the families behind BMW, Volkswagen, and Porsche, profited from Nazi crimes through expropriation, slave labor, and weapons production—while postwar political expediency allowed them to escape accountability. Of Woman Born (1977), Adrienne Rich Pornography: Men Possessing Women (1979), Andrea Dworkin PDF This volume presents a study of the damaging effects of pornography and its ramifications on society. Reflexive Control – Wikipedia The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality (1976), Shere Hite. Based on thousands of women’s survey responses, the book revealed that most women don’t orgasm through intercourse alone and that female sexuality is profoundly shaped by cultural expectations rather than biology. The Lancet – Intergenerational Trauma in Poland The Mass Psychology of Fascism (1933), Wilhelm Reich PDF This psychoanalytic work links sexual repression and authoritarian family structures to the rise of fascist mentality. Banned by the Nazis, Reich’s book was later also censored and burned in the U.S. during the 1950s for its radical ideas on freedom and the body. The Victimhood Economy: Monetizing Oppression in the Age of Identity – The Peak Performer What Is Reactive Abuse? – Charlie Health Ethical and Climate Crisis in the Era of Acceleration in Culture – Between Scylla and Charybdis Full text available here: Globalna odpowiedzialność człowieka – Mateusz Kucz (PDF) The text examines how cultural acceleration and information overload reshape moral sensitivity and ethical decision-making. Rapid information flow diminishes the perceived value of each moral impulse, creating two negative moral tendencies.
The author argues that globalization and accelerated culture complicate moral judgment but do not eliminate it. Positive approaches to ethics include:
Ultimately, in a globally interconnected world, every action carries ethical weight. Navigating between the extremes of soft and apparent morality requires conscious reflection and deliberate moral choices, striking a balance between responsibility to oneself, others, and the broader world. Joanna’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Joanna’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless they enable payments.
© 2025 Joanna Szproch
|
