How do you deal with the fact that we as women are so powerless. My parents abused me my whole life, and now I’m severely depressed and suicidal. I am dissociated all the time and on welfare. I am 20.

I have always felt helpless. That there was never anything I could do to escape abuse, and the police, therapists, child protective services have made me feel even more shame.

Whenever I read a story about a woman being raped, and how in canada rapists never get convicted, I feel more suicidal. Like I’ll never be happy and I’ll always be abused and that no one can escape it because in canada self defense isn’t legal, I can’t own a handgun even if I was mentally sound. If someone attacks you, if you fight back you’ll be punished and put in jail. Especially if you kill them.