look out for your persecutors

currently having a situation with a persecutor and a friend where I am in the unfortunate position of having to stick up for the persecutor to a friend of mine, so I just want to say

look after your persecutors

make sure you're listening to them and giving them space to express themselves

their feelings are valid even if their responses might not be, and they still deserve boundaries and basic respect as people

they are not evil, they are hurt

they also might not be able to control their actions currently

none of this takes away from the fact that your persecutors may be hurting you, but hurting them back or denying them basic dignity will only hurt you both more and exacerbate their maladaptive behaviours