Why Gossip Destroys souls and Why Soul Tribe Stands Against It

At Soul Tribe, we work hard to build a community grounded in compassion, respect, and emotional safety. That’s why we have a zero-tolerance policy for gossip and smear campaigns. Gossip might seem like casual conversation, but when it crosses into manipulation, exclusion, and cruelty, it can deeply damage mental health and even create trauma.

🕷 Gossip Is Emotional Abuse, Not Entertainment

While some gossip seems harmless, it can quickly become a form of character assassination, especially when used as a tool to isolate or discredit someone. This is what’s known as a smear campaign a calculated effort to destroy someone’s reputation by spreading falsehoods or twisted truths.

These tactics are often used by people with controlling or narcissistic traits. They:

• Paint the victim as unstable or dangerous

• Share personal or exaggerated information without consent

• Recruit others to join in (“flying monkeys”)

• Twist reality to maintain control over the narrative

The result? The victim feels confused, anxious, isolated, and ashamed. These effects can linger long after the gossip ends.

💔 When Gossip Becomes Betrayal Trauma

In some cases, the emotional harm from gossip or a smear campaign can evolve into what psychologists call betrayal trauma. This happens when someone you trust whether it’s a family member, friend, or even a support group violates that trust in a deeply personal way.

Betrayal trauma was first described by psychologist Jennifer Freyd as trauma that occurs within close, dependent relationships, like between a parent and child, or romantic partners. But it also applies to friendships or communities, especially when someone relies on those relationships for emotional or practical support.

People affected by betrayal trauma may experience:

• Anxiety, panic attacks, or depression

• Loss of trust in others

• Detachment or dissociation

• Feelings of shame or confusion

• Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships

• A fractured sense of self-worth

And in the context of smear campaigns, the betrayed individual often feels powerless to speak up or defend themselves, especially when the abuser has turned others against them.

🌱 How Soul Tribe Supports Healing

We’ve created Soul Tribe to be a sanctuary for women who’ve been excluded, hurt, or silenced. Many of us know what betrayal trauma feels like—when your voice has been dismissed, when people you trusted spread lies, or when you're left picking up the pieces of your reputation and self-worth.

Here’s how we help:

• No gossip allowed.
  We don't allow whisper networks or backchannel drama. We foster transparency, kindness, and healthy communication.

• Community agreements.
  Everyone who joins agrees to a shared code of respect, including boundaries around confidentiality and direct, honest feedback.

• Safe spaces to process pain.
  We hold peer-led circles and activities that give women a chance to speak without judgment and rebuild trust in themselves and others.

• Support for trauma recovery.
  Through gentle, community-focused practices like meditation, gardening, movement, and group walks we create room to heal from betrayal, shame, and exclusion.

🛡 What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted

If you've been a victim of gossip, betrayal, or a smear campaign:

• You are not to blame. Emotional abuse is about control, not your worth.

• You do not need to explain yourself to everyone. Silence can be powerful.

• Protect your peace. Prioritise rest, connection, and trusted support.

• Seek professional support. A trauma-informed therapist can help you understand what happened and begin healing.

Most importantly: you are not alone. At Soul Tribe, we believe that women deserve safe places to belong especially those who’ve been hurt in spaces that were supposed to protect them.

💬 Our Promise

We are here to lift women up not tear them down. No whisper campaigns. No toxicity. No bitchiness. Just real, honest support.

We believe healing is possible and that it begins with truth, kindness, and community.