Thank you for taking time and energy to reach for our zine, besties! We are deeply aware and highly sensitive of the fact that not only is this a difficult and complex topic to talk about, but that the span of the impact from abuse ranges greatly. Nothing is black and white or cut and dry, especially the territory of discussing something this heavy. We want to be sure to set the tone by saying first and foremost we are NOT mental health professionals. Although we are taking cues from friends, authors, therapists, and social media accounts who are more versed in the field than we are, we highly recommend that this be used as simply a starter guide to navigating the terrain when faced with a difficult situation. Thus, this zine is NOT intended to replace therapy, your support network, books, articles, and other mental health professionals available to you! Please use this as a resource in addition to the others provided to you in the footnotes. This information was discovered while some of us were finding our own answers to questions regarding deeply personal hardships we've encountered while trying to find our own space and voice in our creative communities. If something doesn't resonate with you, that is okay, take what you find helpful and trust yourself to make the best decisions for you. Please be sure to take breaks, take care of yourself and go at your own pace. Some content in this zine may be triggering for some folks, but these conversations are so important to have. That said, thanks again for picking this up - we hope we can help you in even the smallest way. You are so loved. <3