How do I disguise people's names when telling my story publicly?

[Widow_of_one]

I am baffled as to how I can disguise the different members of my family that raped me since a handful of them are still alive. I have a blog here snd a fiend of mine read it and he said he found it hard to follow bc I was using peoples initials. Any advice?

 

[Freddyt]

Number them? Nicknames? Pick fictional names?

 

[joeylittle]

@Widow_of_one - I've edited your thread title and post to avoid potential self-promotion. If you have any questions, please follow up in Contact Us.

As far as your question goes, I think @Freddyt's suggestion of fictional names is a good one.

 

[whiteraven]

Just make up names!

 

[somerandomguy]

I would use "Abuser #1," "Abuser #2," etc. Such people don't deserve names, fictional or not.

 

[coraxxx]

Sometimes when I write about things and situations I use the CIA nomenclature method. That's my inside joke. But actually it's pretty handy because you can codename situations, people or groups of people in a manner that remains structurally clear because of the nomenclature, without giving an actual significant name.

Like, a situation can be named after the ways operations are named. Like noun + adjective. Green bazar. Standing cat. You can generate these and nauseam and I'm pretty sure you can find online generators if you want to remain absolutely generic.

And give prefixes according to the status of each person. CX something, CX that, mk this, mk that.

If you have a lot of intervenants and don't want to get confused with all the first letters, which actually aren't very good at masking names if someone is willing to confirm your identity, a nomenclature system would be my way to go. The CIA one already did exist so I just adapted it, but you can have your own way of doing it.

Just an idea!

 

[DharmaGirl]

If they did it, use their real names. Why keep protecting them?

 

[internal]

i use their real names. they harmed me, i have no interest in preserving their dignity. they did not preserve mine.

 

[coraxxx]

I was assuming @Widow_of_one was talking in the perspective of keeping her own anonymity and eventually the one of other third parts. Also publishing allegations, that is, unconfirmed accusations, online with clearly identified names can be considered as defamation and be used against you in a lawsuit. This really depends on the offender sadly, but if the person has the financial means to sue you it really can be a hazard to be identified. Unless you're willing to to public by wanting to report and do the full thing, this isn't something I would do, or at least if I was going to do it I would first keep control of the issue by giving myself the choice to disclose it later if I'm ready, and meanwhile work in anonymity.

Also if the main aim is to share the story and the mechanics and not to go against someone in the legal system anonymising still makes sense. The only reason I feel okay and safe here in the diaries is because it's deindexed.

And I wouldn't mean this as a sense of covering abuser's asses but as covering my own ass. And not forcing myself to have to eventually trigger a procedure if it gets out of control.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I say their first initial. You can keep them straight with the story but most of those that want to advise the story of but don't want to advise of their names say things like "let's call them Susie" or something. Something fake that you advise of this fake name throughout the story and the "let's call them" makes it known to the reader that it is a fake name. That is how most do it in blogs and other writings and videos that I've read and seen. But it is totally up to you how you do that.

 

[Teasel]

You could go for the last letter 9f thrir names. Or the second or third.

 

[Friday]

Also publishing allegations, that is, unconfirmed accusations, online with clearly identified names can be considered as defamation and be used against you in a lawsuit. This really depends on the offender sadly, but if the person has the financial means to sue you it really can be a hazard to be identified.

Yep yep. You don’t even want to know the f*cked up laws in my area that make it illegal -with a near auto 2 year prison sentence attached- for victims to talk about their abuse.

The ONLY way to comply with the law? To use zero identifying info.

I’m lucky, I live in the borderlands between 2 sovereign nation-states AND half a dozen sovereign reservations. So as long as I don’t use proper nouns? I’m fine.

The TREMENDOUS variation in laws? <low whistle> A very going concern.

AKA

@Widow_of_one .. Consult with an attorney, to make sure you’re acting within the laws of your area. Using a single letter is a common practice on blogs, as 2 letters are too difficult for most people to track, but whether those letters can be initials, or even in the name, of the person you’re writing about? Will vary from place to place. I’m safe in dubbing my exHusband as TheAsshole, and his friends as the TeenyWeinerSquad, as my area cares about identifying information (proper nouns; people, places, businesses, etc.) but in some areas that’s illegal as hell. Similarly, I know of an area where it’s illegal to defame the family -not your own family, you could use their proper names and be fine- by using titles (mom/dad/aunt/second cousin 19 times removed).