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
83
No
2
9
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.
Movie • 2023 Report
Yes
80
No
3
7
Anonymous
Longtime viewers of the Saw franchise will know that the relationship between Amanda and John is very unhealthy and complicated.
Movie • 2004 Report
Yes
56
No
8
5
glance
Amanda claims that Jigsaw "helped her" when he put her in a trap.
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
54
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.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
53
No
3
10
oakbee
Throughout the show, Will Graham repeatedly forgives Hannibal.
Movie • 2024 Report
Yes
51
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
50
No
2
10
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
TV Show • 2024 Report
Yes
44
No
8
6
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 • 2022 Report
Yes
42
No
2
3
dylster
S2
 E2
Main character hallucinates abusive ex, apologizes to hallucination for leaving.
TV Show • 2020 Report
Yes
40
No
9
3
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
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
39
No
1
0
mollyn
Kids forgive their abusive/neglectful parents
Video Game Report
Yes
38
No
3
2
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 • 2011 Report
Yes
37
No
4
6
Penji
S8
 E8
A character credits her abusers for making her a stronger person
Movie • 2014 Report
Yes
35
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.
Movie • 2024 Report
Yes
34
No
1
2
Smiliey
Slater talks about playing tennis with a person abusing him and his sister as a child. Also the ending
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
33
No
0
1
GhostlyHeaven
Maddy constantly goes back to Nate despite his abusive behaviour.
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
32
No
7
4
shaymin
many of the romantic relationships in thr show are unhealthy in one way or another
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
31
No
11
1
S1
 E1
Dean blindly obeys their father, with a military kid’s “yes, sir”
TV Show • 2024 Report
Yes
29
No
18
1
JackRozsa
A man bullied/beaten in early episodes forgives one of his bullies towards the end of the series
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 • 2005 Report
Yes
28
No
1
6
Anonymous
a survivor works with jigsaw after escaping a trap
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
27
No
16
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 • 2010 Report
Yes
27
No
9
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.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
27
No
2
3
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.
TV Show • 2021 Report
Yes
27
No
25
5
cherry
S1
 E1
a character has a very complicated relationship with their loving but very flawed adoptive father, who in some ways made their life much worse. they feel a mixture of devotion and frustration toward him.
Movie • 1999 Report
Yes
27
No
1
Movie • 1997 Report
Yes
26
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)
Video Game Report
Yes
26
No
0
2
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 • 2020 Report
Yes
25
No
7
4
FrogsAreGood
Amity and her siblings reconcile with their father who went along with their mothers emotional abuse and was a bit abusive himself for a while.
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
25
No
5
7
corn_colonels
adam is eric’s bully during season one before the two start dating