In Roxane Gay's "Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture," the author explores the complexities of survival in a society that often diminishes trauma. She illustrates the pressure survivors face to validate their suffering; if they do not convince others of their pain, they risk being dismissed or doubted. This reflects a societal expectation that survivors must carry their scars visibly, turning their experiences into proof of their trauma.

Gay compares the experience of surviving trauma to being accused of witchcraft, suggesting that survival itself is seen as a moral failing. She implies that survivors are expected to bear their wounds openly, comparing their emotional vulnerability to the relics of medieval saints. Through this metaphor, she critiques the way society demands that survivors exhibit their pain publicly, underscoring the struggle for acknowledgment and empathy in discussions surrounding trauma.