Does an abused person forgive their abuser?
Browse movies, tv shows, books and more where the abused forgives their abuser.
Seeing abusers be forgiven or absolved of their actions can be very painful for abuse victims, particularly when the forgiveness is portrayed as something the victim "owes" to the abuser or the victim is portrayed as being bitter/ungrateful for things the abuser did for them/selfish/otherwise bad or in the wrong until they forgive the abuser.
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TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
25
No
4
4
Mousestar369
S2
E2
In the finale, one of the characters is shown returning to a group that was semi-abusive toward them.
TV Show • 2016 Report
Yes
14
No
1
4
SamanthaBattaglia
S3
E3
one of the characters like really sucks and sucks even more when he gets possessed but he “sacrifices” himself after one of the main characters exposes his old memories. they kinda like gloss over how awful he was for the whole season and his sister who he abuses for a lot of the show like forgives him for like everything for whatever reason. even for literally trying to kill her boyfriend
Movie Report
Yes
14
No
1
0
Anonymous
Longtime viewers of the Saw franchise will know that the relationship between Amanda and John is very unhealthy and complicated.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
12
No
1
0
oakbee
Throughout the show, Will Graham repeatedly forgives Hannibal.
TV Show • 2010 Report
Yes
11
No
2
1
Pantalones
Negan may qualify for this. He has a redemption arc in later seasons and is seen protecting Rick's daughter and finding some level of acceptance among people he terrorized.
Movie • 1997 Report
Yes
10
No
2
3
antagonist forgives and visits her agent at a psych ward at the end of the film (spoiler: the agent was behind everything)
Movie • 2021 Report
Yes
10
No
0
2
jdpamv
Mirabel is emotionally abused by her sister and especially her grandmother and she forgives both of them.
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
10
No
3
2
corn_colonels
adam is eric’s bully during season one before the two start dating
Movie • 2014 Report
Yes
9
No
0
1
The kid forgives his mom after she verbally and physically abuses him while possessed.
TV Show • 2023 Report
Yes
9
No
1
1
HCOneill
S2
E2
Complicated as to whether forgiveness is actually given, but definitely discussed as to "why would you let this person back in your life"
Video Game Report
Yes
8
No
0
Movie • 2004 Report
Yes
8
No
1
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
8
No
0
Movie • 2022 Report
Yes
7
No
0
1
SiRenfield
Pretty much all three layers of the generational trauma going on reconcile with each other, even if in fairness boundaries are established
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
7
No
0
2
jdpamv
The Diamonds are coded as abusers (and that's just towards Steven, they're pretty much N*zis towards the rest of the Gems) and get a rather quick and undeserved redemption arc.
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
7
No
0
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
6
No
0
3
Pantalones
A reocurring theme is Rick doing something terrible, Morty swearing he's done going on adventures with Rick, but eventually Morty forgives Rick and the cycle continues.
Movie • 2019 Report
Yes
6
No
0
2
jdpamv
Kylo Ren is abusive to Rey (not in an explicitly domestic context but it’s coded as such) and it recycles the Return of the Jedi ending where the abuser is forgiven before fighting Palpatine. They even kiss after the fight, right before Kylo dies.
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
6
No
0
2
Penji
S8
E8
A character credits her abusers for making her a stronger person
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
6
No
0
0
KaliWatchesStuff
S3
E3
Someone pretends to and someone is unaware
Video Game Report
Yes
6
No
0
1
Violet111
In the series finale Tommy makes up with Dream, aka his abuser and the series' main antagonist. But like, the finale sucks, don't watch it
TV Show • 1997 Report
Yes
6
No
0
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
5
No
0
0
lillpon
The main way the writers chose to redeem their villains was by having them do a few good things (if not just one single thing), barely even apologizing, and their victims forgiving them, even if said victims had spent their entire lives suffering because of them. Worse enough, sometimes the victims also make mistakes and are then judged in the same lens that the villains are. It's the whole thing of the show, sadly. Very black and white morality.
TV Show • 2023 Report
Yes
5
No
0
0
S1
E1
In Episode 3, you meet Dinah and her baby who come to the farm to escape her abusive husband. By the end of the episode, it is revealed that they went back to him.
TV Show • 2020 Report
Yes
5
No
0
1
Miami
Jamie appears to forgive his father but since there's no dialog its hard to tell
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
5
No
0
1
uncreative
A character gets r*ped and forgives their abuser.
TV Show • 1997 Report
Yes
5
No
0
1
jdpamv
At the end of "Doubling Down", not only does Heidi forgive and accept Cartman's abuse but becomes like him herself.
TV Show • 2010 Report
Yes
5
No
0
1
SiRenfield
Okay abuser is probably the wrong word here but this is a series that’s pretty infamous for having villains forgiven even for stuff as despicable as starting a brainwashing cult. Fortunately there isn’t as much of this in later seasons
TV Show • 1999 Report
Yes
5
No
0
1
SiRenfield
S10
E10
Meg finally calls her family out…only to then sort of accept her place as a sort lighting rod of aggression in her family
Movie • 2007 Report
Yes
5
No
0
2
Pantalones
Bart, and by extention the rest of the family, forgive Homer for poisoning the water, getting the town put under a dome, and almost getting them all killed multiple times.