There was a kid in middle school who liked beating up on me, usually just enough to look playful but not arouse suspicion. One day, he grabbed my pinky and twisted it, obviously making me bend to what he wanted me to do. The next day he wanted to show someone the new trick he'd learned, so he asked for my pinky again. Knowing he'd hurt me worse if I didn't give it to him, I acquiesced. He then twisted it harder and more confidently than the first time, and I collapsed in pain. Turns out he broke my pinky. School administration made us got to counseling where they told me he was just playing and did nothing else. His parents, however, came down hard on him. Made him write an apology letter and he was mostly friendly and apologetic towards me afterwards. Figure there was a mix of genuine remorse that he'd gone "too far" and fear of his parents who, in turn, may have been afraid he'd gone too far or maybe were afraid we'd sue. Anyway, appeasement doesn't work, but that was pretty much my only defense mechanism: shut down and let it happen.