> You can protect against abusers without understanding them. You can, but not as fully nor as well. > Whether making sure you respond (so that you are not at

> You can protect against abusers without understanding them. You can, but not as fully nor as well. > Whether making sure you respond (so that you are not attractive target) You have to know that responding indeed doesn't make you an attractive target. Which varies depending on the motives of the abuser. Some are looking for a response, where the cruelty is the point. > or leaving or going public or retaliating. All of these may or may not be helpful. The first two largely based on power relations and PR. But the last is vitally dependent on the reactions of the abuser -- and again understanding the abuser is needed to predict whether that's a useful response.