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In Reply to: was karen zerby abused? posted by exer on October 29, 2003 at 10:17:16:
Your aunt's behavior as an adult fits the profile of someone who experienced childhood abuse. This observation doesn't presume that her abuser was her father or grandfather--it could have been a brother, uncle, cousin, church pastor, school teacher, etc. Do you know anything about her psychosexual history?
Anything you can share about her family background and childhood might help us understand why she made the kinds of choices she did--or what motivates her to act as heartlessly as she does toward the generation victimized by her policies.
Among other things, Karen actively participated in the brutal beatings and psychological torture of Berg's granddaughter. Was Karen raised in a family where harsh discipline was the norm? She certainly promoted this kind of discipline as The Family's "Mom".
What kind of attitudes do your grandparents have about "a woman's place"? Are women in your family encouraged to be docile and subserviant or are they supported in being assertive and independent? Do most women in your family tend to stick with traditional roles?
How many brothers and sisters does she have and where is she in the birth order of siblings?
Is your family very religious? If so, what type of religion do they practice?
Some exmembers think Karen is mentally ill. Is there a history of these kinds of problems in your family? Karen lived with an alcoholic for most of her adult life. The partners of alcoholics often come from families where there is a longstanding problem with substance abuse. Do people in your family do a lot of heavy drinking?
I know these are rude, intrusive questions. Your aunt would be more human to me (although not necessarily less criminal) if I understood something about her family history.
