Tiny Buddha

Moral Injury: When the People Meant to Protect You Fail

Allison Briggs describes moral injury as the deep wound caused when trusted adults or systems betray a child’s disclosure of abuse. She recounts her own experience of reporting family violence to a teacher who promised protection, only to be let down by Child Protective Services. The piece explains how this betrayal fuels shame, guilt, and a lifelong pattern of trauma reenactment, even as she later became a counselor fighting systemic failures. Ultimately, Briggs argues that sustainable healing requires recognizing grief, setting boundaries, and shifting from self‑sacrificial advocacy to collaborative repair.