Having herself experienced romantic violence when she was a teenager, Quebec teacher and author Jade Julien-Brunelle decided to take the bull by the horns and raise awareness among young people about this issue via a virtual book available on Instagram and Facebook.
Titled Crumbs of lovehis work composed of short chapters features Julia, a 16-year-old girl who has a toxic relationship with Manuel, aged 18.
For this fiction, the author drew on her experience as a worker in a youth center in Saint-Hyacinthe, but also on her own love journey.
“I wanted to use this ordeal to be able to help the next victims and the families of the next victims too,” she explained in an interview with LCN.
In Crumbs of lovewe witness the evolution of Julia’s relationship with Manuel, while the latter quietly establishes a climate of violence.
“At first, it’s very sneaky and that’s what’s often difficult to detect, because it won’t start with physical violence. It’s often going to be verbal violence. Often, it’s going to be a very intense relationship at first,” says Jade Julien-Brunelle.
Such a relationship will often begin with numerous compliments, gifts and gestures of affection which will lead to a rapid attachment of the victim to their attacker.
“By moving quickly, the attacker establishes a power dynamic. The victim quickly becomes dependent and that leaves little time for the victim to recognize abusive behavior,” explains the author.
Subsequently, the victim isolates himself from friends and family.
“What you have to understand is that a first romantic relationship is often the first time that someone other than your parents and friends finds you interesting,” says Julien-Brunelle.
The attacker will generally alternate between gentleness and violence to sow confusion in his victim.
How to prevent?
The author recognizes that it is often difficult for loved ones to support a teenager who is in the middle of a violent relationship.
“It’s about always believing, being available, respecting the victim’s rhythm, so not expecting that the victim will cut ties immediately with their attacker – that won’t happen – to remain available and not judge. We must always send the message that violence that occurs in relationships is the responsibility of the aggressor,” she recommends.
If parents or friends feel helpless, they can always turn to school staff or shelters for victims of domestic violence, in order to be able to better help their loved one.
Through her digital book, Jade Julien-Brunelle wishes to raise awareness among adolescents and adults about domestic violence, but above all to mobilize the population so that they are more in prevention mode when faced with this type of toxic relationship.
To see the full interview, watch the video above.
