What Are Adverse Childhood Experiences?

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Few understand how painful it can be when someone who was part of our childhood disputes our memories of it.

A controversial political ad highlights the painful reality of having a parent deny experiences in childhood.

When a parent comes forward publicly to dispute your claims of abuse, it can be retraumatizing.

A recent political ad in Ohio’s 2026 gubernatorial race has sparked controversy after candidate Vivek Ramaswamy released a video featuring the estranged mother of his opponent, Dr. Amy Acton. In the ad, Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calls her daughter a liar and disputes her account of her childhood, urging voters not to elect her as governor (Ohio Capital Journal, 2026).

The controversy is especially painful given Acton’s publicly documented family history. Acton has said she experienced sexual abuse by her stepfather as a child and that her mother failed to protect her. In 1978, when Acton was 12, her stepfather was arrested and indicted on charges involving the rape of a child. Acton and her brother were subsequently removed........

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