Narrating violent victimization by positioning self and others

Victimologists observe that telling one’s story can foster healing for
survivors of violence. To understand these processes better, victims’
narratives must be understood as situated acts of telling. This paper takes
one man’s narration of victimization long past — child abuse and rape — as a
case. We examined his interview-derived storytelling with a focus on
narrative positioning, narrative discourse modes, and negations. We found
that Stefan (a pseudonym) used various discursive modes and narrative
positionings to exercise control over the stories and what they mean. His
agency was partly achieved by what he recounted not doing or saying, and
what he refused to address in the interview situation. Thus, his narratives
feature his own defiance and self-empowerment in both the scene and the
aftermath of violence. These findings lead us to conclude that narrative
strategies of storytelling should be taken into account in any practical
interventions that involves testimony about harm.