User blog comment:FairyRaven/Fairy Tail Chapter 348: Return of the Demon, Review and Commentary/@comment-7418318-20130823094049/@comment-5268982-20130823103446

If Flare did everything she did because of abuse, she wouldn't go as far as to laugh while torturing Lucy, or humiliate her by branding RT's mark. A victory would be enough for her. However, Flare completely enjoyed torturing her. She taunted her even when Ivan, the man who persumably abused her, told her to stop, which means she did not do all she did because of him.