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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Movie • 2023 Report
Yes
75
No
3
6
Anonymous
Longtime viewers of the Saw franchise will know that the relationship between Amanda and John is very unhealthy and complicated.
Movie • 2023 Report
Yes
72
No
2
6
Pantalones
Godwin not only forgives his father for experimenting on him and maiming him, but seems proud of his father's dubious contributions to science and anatomy.
Bella also seems to genuinely love "God" even after finding out he did some very unethical surgery on her.
Bella also seems to genuinely love "God" even after finding out he did some very unethical surgery on her.
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
48
No
6
11
Mousestar369
S2
E2
In the finale, one of the characters is shown returning to a group that was semi-abusive toward them.
Movie • 2004 Report
Yes
46
No
6
4
glance
Amanda claims that Jigsaw "helped her" when he put her in a trap.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
43
No
3
8
oakbee
Throughout the show, Will Graham repeatedly forgives Hannibal.
Movie • 2024 Report
Yes
42
No
3
3
An abused wife refuses to press charges on her violent husband. When her loved pnes express concern, she claims they don’t understand love.
TV Show • 2016 Report
Yes
42
No
2
7
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
Video Game Report
Yes
38
No
2
1
Brithwoods
Ignore what everyone else says this is not true. C!tommy at the end of the series does not forgive his abuser at all. People are misinterpreting it. However, his abuser is humanized which is problematic enough. But there is no forgiving done.
TV Show • 2024 Report
Yes
36
No
8
5
Anonymous
No BUT he does return to his abuser in the final episode for closure and is manipulated into agreeing to work with him again.
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
30
No
7
2
shaymin
many of the romantic relationships in thr show are unhealthy in one way or another
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
29
No
0
0
mollyn
Kids forgive their abusive/neglectful parents
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
29
No
0
0
GhostlyHeaven
Maddy constantly goes back to Nate despite his abusive behaviour.
TV Show • 2020 Report
Yes
28
No
8
2
JGlasser5
S3
E3
Despite not actually forgiving her abuser, Starlight is forced to say publicly that she has forgiven the man who sexually assaulted her
YouTube • 2023 Report
Yes
28
No
4
11
Dollie
Pac forgives Cellbit for their time together in prison, in which Cell manipulated, fought, and tried to eat him.
Movie • 2014 Report
Yes
28
No
1
1
idk._.KRAKEN
the child forgives the mother after she abused him. see 'is a child abused'. *edit, some of the abuse was while she was possessed, and some wasnt. i think most of the verbal abuse hapoened while she wasnt possessed but i could be mistaken.
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
27
No
4
4
Penji
S8
E8
A character credits her abusers for making her a stronger person
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
25
No
5
7
corn_colonels
adam is eric’s bully during season one before the two start dating
Video Game Report
Yes
25
No
0
0
milestogo171
(Unsure exactly what the votes are referring to.) A main character forgives his father who exiled him as a teenager. Another main character CAN forgive his goddess/abuser, but it depends on player choices.
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
25
No
11
0
S1
E1
Dean blindly obeys their father, with a military kid’s “yes, sir”
Movie • 2005 Report
Yes
24
No
1
5
Anonymous
a survivor works with jigsaw after escaping a trap
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
23
No
6
0
staysafefriends3
S4
E4
Sort of - the main villain in this episode is a cult leader who se*ually abuses young girls, who he also marries. The main one of his victims featured in this episode basically worships him and is too brainwashed to understand the truth all throughout the episode. The episode ends with a very sad act that demonstrates just how brainwashed by her abuser she was.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
23
No
0
8
jdpamv
Not only that but Bird Person encourages Morty to forgive and keep indulging Rick's abuse because he suffers from depression and self-hatred which Bird Person alleges Rick's abuse stems from rather than true evil or apathy. This both implies that mentally ill people are violent and infantilizes abuse.
Movie • 2023 Report
Yes
23
No
0
5
goooses
In fact, he marries her.
TV Show • 2024 Report
Yes
23
No
18
1
JackRozsa
A man bullied/beaten in early episodes forgives one of his bullies towards the end of the series
TV Show • 2010 Report
Yes
22
No
6
2
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
22
No
3
7
antagonist forgives and visits her agent at a psych ward at the end of the film (spoiler: the agent was behind everything)
TV Show • 2022 Report
Yes
22
No
1
2
FlynnFoxx
S1
E1
Although it is not fully specified whether Louis fully forgives Lestat after abuse in episode 5 Claudia and Louis come up with a list of rules that Lestat has to follow and he agrees. Louis then proceeds to become romantically involved with Lestat again.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
22
No
2
2
jdpamv
The Diamonds are coded as abusers (and they're even comparable to N*zis, for that matter) and get a rather quick and undeserved redemption arc.
Movie • 2021 Report
Yes
22
No
1
4
jdpamv
Mirabel is emotionally abused by her sister and especially her grandmother and she forgives both of them.
Movie • 1999 Report
Yes
22
No
1