Edited to remove more specific commentary on the situation in order to protect victim’s rights.
This image I made is labelled for PDA families but is honestly true of ALL children. Children need caregivers to help guide and provide supports where needed.
Adults on the other hand are responsible for utilizing the resources they have access to and doing the best they can to limit damage when dysregulated. (Updating to clarify that I do understand that different adults have different levels of access to different resources, either because of social-economic factors or developmental disabilities)
All human beings can hurt others, not just those who present in a certain profile. We’re all responsible for these.
But please take comfort that the issue isn’t that your child can behave like an immature and hurtful adult, but instead how an adult can indiscriminately behave so much like a child.
[image with a white background a gray watercolor splotches. The top hang has an illustration of a man’s profile in reds and burgundy, next to him is written “PDA Adult” and below that in a list “capacity for maturity. Responsible for triggers and limiting damage. Can seek out resources. Can seek out accountability” The bottom half has an illustration of a child in yellows and oranges to the right, and beside him on the left it reads “PDA Child”, below that in list format says “Not at capacity for maturity. Caregiver responsible for triggers and limiting damage. Can’t seek out resources. Can’t seek out accountability.”]
