INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Intergenerational Trauma Causing Domestic Violence
Yaksha Thanarajah
Humber College BScN Program
Oct 7 2022
Intergenerational Trauma Causing Domestic Violence
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INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
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The representation of women crushing stereotypes into ashes as they obtain sweet
revenge from heinous criminals is portrayed in Erika T. Wurth’s story, Bloodlines. This vengeful
story guides the audience on a rollercoaster as the protagonist continues to discover her
indigenous heritage while breaking the perception of a "virtuous woman". The social issue that
piques interest, however, is the intergenerational trauma inflicted on indigenous women.
Bloodlines is a story that I personally can connect with, specifically the aspiration of
breaking gender stereotypes in a culture that hides the continuous domestic violence women
experience. Mistreatment of women has been a recurring theme throughout my life, and I am
able to connect with this story on an intimate level. Whereas, Troy Sebastian’s A Long Time Ago
refers to narrating how an indigenous man travelled far to get food for his tribe, yet a white man
copied this accomplishment and was celebrated for it. Though colonialism has predominantly
affected the lives of many, it has not affected me personally. I did not experience any sort of
colonialism firsthand, but I experienced misogyny, which is why I chose to analyze Bloodlines.
In addition, I believe that A Long Time Ago is a story with an unsatisfying end since Uncle Skin
did not receive the recognition he deserved for this authentic journey, and David Thompson
continues to be praised for being a renowned traveller. Bloodlines is an intense story with a
satisfying ending; the protagonist solves the case and completes a self-discovery journey while at
it. This story has a way of luring in many since a badass woman is appreciated for her violent
ways.
Wurth’s story has many valuable insights and social issues that stand out, yet
intergenerational trauma sparked my mind when analyzing the text. The protagonist’s paternal
line has male figures who abuse their wives. In both circumstances, the women are Indigenous,
while the men are predominantly white or white-passing. The constant abuse and murder of
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
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Indigenous women have unfortunately been common throughout the community. The
protagonist's father "disappeared on [her] mother, [and] he'd hit her a few times" (Wurth, 2019,
par. 57), and then she learns that her grandfather (on her father's side) murdered her grandmother
(Wurth, 2019, par. 85). Being surrounded by abusive men has brought great misfortune to the
women in this story. There is constant objectification of these women by their spouses. Once
these women stepped out of the men’s control, they were abused. For example, the protagonist’s
mother placed a knife against her father’s throat to threaten him to leave as soon as he hit her.
Even so, her father’s absence did not stop the abuse, as he killed another Indigenous woman and
is locked up in jail. The protagonist’s grandmother commenced her law studies and formed some
sort of independence, which caused her husband to kill her (par. 77). The reoccurring abuse is
intergenerational trauma since both male counterparts abused their wives and inflicted this
trauma on the younger generation. This recurring pattern concludes with the protagonist, who
uses her violent methods to seek justice for her grandmother's death while also earning enough
money to pay her mother's bills. The protagonist stepped out of the "virtuous woman" image and
expressed her true cultural and personal identities altogether. She broke the cycle by becoming a
private investigator and using her power and violence only for justice. In conclusion, the story
Bloodlines demonstrated that it is possible to break the cycle of misogyny and that it is
acceptable to be an assertive woman who does not fit the stereotypical image of what it is to be a
woman.
References
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Wurth, E. T. (2020, June 30). Bloodlines. The Walrus. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from
https://thewalrus.ca/terra-cognita-bloodlines/
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