Trauma Bonding is the sociological effect where, in traumatic times, victims of that trauma will cling to the most convenient source of authority as a means of protection, regardless of that entity’s connection to the source of that trauma. This is the root cause of Stockholm Syndrome.
9/11 is perhaps the most evident example of this. By constantly reminding people of 9/11 in the run up to the 2004 election, the GOP was able to remind Americans of the trauma that the threat of terrorism causes them to feel. Out of a misplaced sense of desperation, Americans (or at least, the gullible ones) clung to perceived authority of the Bush Administration, even thought it was ultimately responsible for the 9/11 attacks in the first place.
The GOP is doing it again, but this time to women. After centuries of striving for empowerment, Hillary Clinton narrowly failed to grasp the Democratic Nomination. This feeling of being snubbed has been so traumatic to many of Hillary Clinton’s supporters that, out of desperation, they’re clinging to Sarah Palin as a feminism-related authority figure.
This is just what the GOP hoped for. The GOP is using trauma bonding (and the prospect of a female Vice President) to seduce women into supporting a misogynist Presidential candidate, his pied-piping running mate, and the historically anti-feminist political party that they serve.
