Types of persecutor
A lot of times, people throw the word persecutor-protector around, often as if it is synonymous with persecutor. This is not the case!
Persecutor-protectors are maybe the most common type of persecutor, however, we are not the only ones, and it is important to understand where different persecutors tend to be coming from- though of course you should always ask.
Here’s a breakdown of some other subtypes!
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Persecutor-Host - Persecutor-hosts seem to be pretty common, especially among systems where the host has recently discovered the system. They rarely seem to actually take the label persecutor, but can often do some of the worst harm to a system. They usually are motivated out of fear and internalized sysphobia and/or ableism, such as a need to feel in control or to be the ‘most important’ or ‘most real’ member of a system.
Persecutor-Traumaholder - Not sure what a more ‘catchy’ term for this would be, but some people and therefore system members lash out directly because of trauma. Trauma responses can often be dangerous in and of themselves when taken out of the context that trained them, and many persecutors may lash out mostly or solely because of trauma, or even out of frustration that they cannot share their trauma. It should be noted that while most persecutors are trauma holders, most persecutors are not acting specifically and exclusively out of trauma, though it most certainly plays a large role for a lot of us. Persecutors that seek out dangerous situations or habits in order to cope with trauma fall under this category.
Persecutor-Otherholder/Persecutor-Persecutor/”Malicitor” - We’ve all heard it. “Yeah, but SOME people will just never change.” The people who say this are pretty much always wrong. However, there are some persecutors that operate for a reason that may not always be easy to change. For example, a system member that holds aspects of a personality that a traumatized person can’t face about themself- for example, they might hold anger, jealousy, assertiveness, pride, etc, and express that in ways other system members may not approve of. Note: Many persecutors consider the term Malicitor a slur, due to its nature as basically an in-group way of saying ‘evil alter’, which is a harmful stereotype and also not accurate.
Persecutor-Little - This is a tough one to face. However, it’s true. A lot of littles are persecutors. Reasons range from having an unhealthy relationship with abusers to simply not understanding what healthy functioning looks like. Many system littles are also trauma holders, which definitely contributes.
Remember this is only a brief summary of summaries, and exact situations are going to vary. If you have any other categories you would like added to this list, please note it in the notes!
