CONFLICT THESAURUS

WITNESSING ABUSE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Conflict is your story’s secret sauce, supplying tension, friction, and complications to a character’s journey. It comes in a million different forms, so identify the obstacles and problems that will hit your character the hardest by using the Character Builder to uncover their primary insecurities, fears , and desires. Don’t forget to include everyday conflict scenarios that will frustrate them and keep the pressure high.
CATEGORY:
Moral dilemmas and temptations, relationship friction, failures and mistakes, power struggles

EXAMPLES:
The character seeing someone mistreat, neglect, or physically harm their pet
Hearing screaming matches in a neighboring apartment or house
Watching a stranger hit or verbally abuse their child
Suspecting someone is being trafficked
Witnessing a neighbor gaslighting their spouse
Seeing a friend regularly abuse a co-worker by belittling or making fun of them
A child witnessing an adult harming a sibling 
Seeing the neglect of a nursing home patient
Witnessing sexual abuse at a party
Seeing others being abused in a prisoner-of-war, internment, or refugee camp

MINOR COMPLICATIONS:
The character not being sure if what they've witnessed is considered abuse
Time spent speaking with the police, signing papers, attending court, etc.
Sustaining minor injuries from attempting to intervene
Others wanting to gossip with the character about the situation
Facing threats and intimidation from the abuser
Bringing up the situation with someone and being ignored or dismissed
Other people reinforcing the idea that nothing serious is going on

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS:
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RESULTING EMOTIONS:
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POSSIBLE INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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PEOPLE WHO COULD BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED:
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NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE:
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IMPACT ON BASIC NEEDS:
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WOUNDS THIS COULD LEAD TO:
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POSITIVE TRAITS TO HELP THE CHARACTER COPE:
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POSITIVE OUTCOMES:
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