| Summary: | Whether or not it is appropriate to offer victims the possibility of working on forgiveness to overcome the pain of the lived experience and its consequences is a controversial issue. The pressure to forgive makes revictimization more likely and transmits guilt and a message of minimizing the victims’ pain. A misunderstanding of forgiveness
can further weaken the victim’s ability to protect him- or herself, make him or her more vulnerable, and make it easier for the abuse to continue. This paper aims to review the conditions for forgiveness to be a psychological tool for the mental health of the victims. Forgiveness is a complex concept with multiple dimensions and possibilities, and it can offer victims a valuable resource for overcoming their pain. However, it is not essential to the victim’s healing process.
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