True Story: I was Sexually Abused

How does a person get past sexual abuse? How do you move on with your life and have healthy, supportive relationships? One woman shares her story of surviving sexual abuse >> yesandyes.org

This is Erin’s story of surviving sexual abuse. Please note that this interview could be upsetting for those who have experienced abuse.

Could you tell us a bit about your background?

My mom was a single mother for most of my childhood, so my sister and I spent a lot of time with our grandparents while our mom was at work. I was a smart kid, and loved books and school. We also had horses, so I got to be outside a lot at the stables, running around with the other kids and building “hideouts.” The town I grew up in is very small (less than 2,000 people) and the surrounding towns are not much bigger.
How did you come into contact with the person who was your abuser?

My abuser was actually my uncle. My aunt and uncle had two boys a little older than my sister and I, and we were very close, so I saw my aunt and uncle a lot. We slept over at their house a couple of times a month.

What did the abuse consist of?

The first abuse that I remember took place before I started kindergarten. My uncle would let me stay up and watch movies with him after everyone else went to bed (I later learned that an adult giving special privileges to one child can be a sign of abuse).

One night that I remember, he put his hands inside my shirt and pants during the movie. I asked him about it, and he said that it was part of how families love each other (a common thing for abusers to say). This continued for a while, and I assume he stopped because he realized that I was getting old enough to remember what he was doing and question it.
After that, he was more subtle. He would constantly ask me personal questions, make lewd jokes, and offer to explain puberty and sex. He always made my sister and I change in front of him when we went swimming, because he said that there could be “bad people” in the women’s changing room (oh, the irony!). He also frequently showed me porn, and he once offered to pay me $100 if I would take nude pictures of myself and give them to him.

What was your reaction the first time it happened? Did it happen repeatedly?

Even when I was very young, I knew that something was a little weird about the way he treated me, but I never really knew that it was wrong or bad until I was in high school. Because I didn’t understand what was happening, I didn’t really have a reaction until years later.

When and why did it end?

It ended because my mother remarried when I was 14 and we moved to another state. After we moved, I realized what had happened, and whenever we came back into town, I did my best not to see him.

Did you (or your family) pursue legal action?

When I found out a few years ago that another girl had pressed charges against my abuser, I felt incredibly guilty. I had known for years that he deserved to be in jail, but I hadn’t told my family or pressed charges because I didn’t think what happened to me was bad enough, and because I thought my family would be mad if I got him in trouble.

But when the other girl pressed charges, I started thinking about all of the girls who could have been (and possibly were) abused because I was too scared to say something.

A couple of months later, absolutely terrified, I drove back to my hometown and made a police report. Since then, nothing significant has happened with my case, but whenever my uncle goes to court, my case is mentioned, and he gets the maximum punishment (or doesn’t get the privileges he’s asking for) because of it. It’s possible that my case will still be tried when he gets out of jail in 2013, but I haven’t talked to anyone about it in over a year, so I don’t know.

Has this affected your romantic relationships? Has it affected your feelings about trust or sex?

For a while, I thought that the abuse hadn’t really affected my romantic relationships. I liked sex and didn’t have any weird hangups about it, and I was able to easily form and maintain romantic relationships. I did wonder whether my bisexuality or affinity for bondage stemmed from the abuse (I’ve since decided that I don’t care), but on the whole I thought I had escaped unscathed.

What I eventually realized, though, was that I had been ignoring the abuse rather than dealing with it. When I decided to deal with it, things got ugly. My university counseling center wouldn’t help me because my problems were too severe, and I didn’t have the money to see anyone else. I came out of that six months of hell a much stronger and more confident person, with much of the pain and fear left behind.

However, I also came out with a fear of sex, and now I have to be slightly intoxicated in order to get over my fear and enjoy sex. My husband has been very supportive, but I’m planning on getting into counseling as soon as I have the money.

Do you have children? Do you plan to? Do you think your experience will effect the way you raise them? Are you concerned that you’ll be over-protective because of your experience?

I plan to have children eventually, and I’m not sure if I’ll be overprotective or not. On one hand, I know that there are a lot of dangers out there. On the other hand, you can’t protect your children from everything, and none of my family members would have suspected my uncle. I think that as long as my children know that they can talk to me about anything, it’ll be ok. Sure, I’ll have rules and I’ll worry at times, but I don’t think I’ll be too overbearing.

Do you feel that you have gotten closure on this incident? If yes, how did you get that closure?

I used to define myself in terms of the abuse and think about it constantly. Now, it doesn’t come up too much. When it does come up, rather than being scared or embarrassed, I’m proud of how I handled it. I’m also proud of how my family handled it (my aunt divorced my uncle when she found out, and has become my biggest supporter). There’s still the sex thing, but on the whole, yes, I think I’ve finally gotten some closure.

What advice would you give to someone who is struggling to work through something similar? If we have a friend who was sexually abused, what can we do to help?

If you’ve been abused, either as a child or as an adult, the important things to remember are that this is not your fault and that you can overcome it. It’s terrifying and sometimes you don’t want to confide in other people, but with a support system and a lot of determination, you can come out the other side.

Also, if you think you can handle it, pursue legal action. It will make you so much stronger, and it might save other people from going through the same thing you did.

To those of you who have a friend who has been sexually abused, the most important thing is that you believe and support your friend. Too often people don’t believe those of us who have been abused because the abuser is “such a nice person” and “could never have done that.”

If someone says that they have been abused, tell them that you are sorry, that you believe them, and that it is not their fault. Try to get them professional help it that’s feasible. Many websites have posted the signs of abuse, and if you’re a parent or work with children, you should familiarize yourself with these signs. If you suspect current abuse, tell the appropriate authorities (doctors, social workers, police, etc).

I’ve included a couple of useful online resources here, because they were extremely important to me in my recovery, and I think they might help others. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network has tons of information and tools, as well as both phone and online hotlines. After Silence provides forums and a chat room for those recovering from abuse.

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Erin. Do you guys have any questions for her? 

photo by zach minor // cc

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23 Comments

  1. Poetic Dreams

    I can fully relate to this story. If ya ever seen the movie Precious, ya would get just a tiny glimpse of what I endured growing up. I'm sorry ya had to endure any of the abuse. I hope ya can get the counciling ya need. I myself never went through counciling and I'm fine. I tend to journal all my thoughts. As for children I was a mom who gave my children a code word. I told them to listen to that inner voice which tells ya if things are good. If my child ever used our code word we were outta there in a flash. The main thing to remember is give ya children a voice and let them speak freely and they'll be no secrets. I hope life treata ya Beautifully from this day forward.
    Hugs, Poe

    http://lillovecreations.blogspot.com
    [email protected]

  2. Chrissy (The New Me)

    I love the True Stories on this blog but I don't always comment on them. I just wanted to tell Erin how much I admire and respect you for overcoming this, and how sad and angry if makes me to think of the people who do terrible things to innocent children. I'm glad that your case will help keep your Uncle away from other girls.

  3. Amy --- Just A Titch

    Erin, thank you for your heartbreaking honesty. I'm so sorry you had to go through this.

  4. Anonymous

    Hi Erin,

    Thanks for sharing your story. I am glad you've got support and closure.

    I was sexually assaulted too when I was 15 and I still have not told anyone about it. The abuser was my private tutor who was like in his 50s/60s, who was a neighbor and family friend. It only happened once but it involved some traumatizing kissing and I was so lucky he actually stopped when I said "Enough". I never went back to his house for tutoring and I went to boarding house straight after. I never told anyone about it because of the embarrassment. But yeah perhaps I should since he might target other students.

  5. Anonymous

    Thank you so much for sharing. You are such a strong person for making it through this and sharing it and not letting it define you.

  6. curryegg

    Thanks for this beautiful interview. I've learned a lot… =)

    Thank you Erin for willingly to share all your experience here. You have shown a strong sides of you, that you are honest and willing to look into this issue. Something which I should learn from you.

    God bless *hugs from Malaysia*

  7. Michelle

    I just wanted to support Erin in her decision to share her story and thank her for sharing it with us. You offer such great advice and insight, which just shows how the experience has made you stronger.

  8. sui

    Wow, what amazing & naked honesty. Thank you for sharing your story; you are strong ♥

  9. Anastasia

    That is very courageous of you to share your story. Thank you.

  10. Hope

    Thank you for sharing. Yes, it's difficult to read, but it needs to be out there so people are aware that it DOES happen and it DOES need to be stopped.

  11. Sarahf

    Erin, you are such a strong and courageous person. How sad that counselling is impossible because of finances. I hope you can find the peace you deserve.

  12. Tiffany

    I really want to commend Erin on going back and filing a report years later.

    I was molested when I was a child by my father. Prior to molesting me and my two siblings, he molested his niece. When she spoke up and said something, my bio-grandmother slapped her and said she was telling lies.

    Like Erin, I really want to encourage ANYONE who has been molested to SPEAK UP and tell authorities. If someone is sexually assaulting you, chances are they are assaulting someone else or will in the future. Your voice can make a difference in the life of someone else.

  13. Anonymous

    Thanks for your honest story Erin!
    I work with teenagers and am interested in this part you wrote:

    Many websites have posted the signs of abuse, and if you're a parent or work with children, you should familiarize yourself with these signs.

    Maybe it would be useful to include a link to such a site at the end of the article, because I think its really important for everyone to know these signs.

  14. Erin

    Thanks so much to Sarah for this fantastic series, and for allowing me to tell my story. Also, thanks to all of you for your supportive comments!

    If you're interested in the signs of abuse, a quick Google search for "signs of child sexual abuse" brings up many pages. The important thing to keep in mind is that many of these "signs" can also be associated with another problem in a child's life, such as a death in the family. If you see these signs in a child, it's important to try and determine what the problem is, but don't jump straight to the conclusion that the child has been abused.

    If you're interested in how you as a parent, educator, or concerned adult can help prevent child sexual abuse, the organization Darkness to Light has a lot of great information on their website.

    http://www.darkness2light.org/KnowAbout/adults_responsible.asp

    Thanks again to all of you. It means more than you could know to tell my story and get such supportive responses.

  15. Smilin Sam

    i too can relate to these situations but i was not brave enough to speak up when it was happening. I am getting married next year and do not want him at the wedding but how do i do this without my aunt wanting to know why? they will be expecting an invite?

  16. A Frazzled Mommy

    You were very brave to share your story. I know I often felt like I had "abuse me" stamped on my forehead. I never had the guts to file a report with the police, but I did confront one of my abusers. It was maddening but satisfying.

    I have two children, a boy that's 12 1/2 and a girl that's 8. I find that the hardest part is I get overly protective at the ages of when my abuse was the worst, especially for my daughter. My husband and I have always taught the kids that they can talk to us, what is okay and not okay about touch (even if it's family), and such, but it's still difficult.

    I wish you the best of luck as life continues on.

    Amanda

  17. Anonymous

    I was molested by a friend's uncle when I was 8 years old… much like you I didn't realize what was going on until a few years later. The Michael Jackson molestation accusations came out and it dawned on me that what had happened that day wasn't right. I told my mom, and we went to my friend's house and told her and her mom. It was so embarrassing and scary. It turned out that the uncle was in jail for another reason so we didn't pursue anything.

    I find that when you start to share these stories more survivors of abuse come out of the woodwork. It is an all too common experience, and should be talked about more often. Thanks for very much for sharing.

  18. Anonymous

    When I was around 5 years old, I was abused by a family member as well, he was in his late teens, and I was terrified of what my mother and father would think if I told. We didnt have very good communication in our household, especially about sexuality, etc.
    The terrible thing about this is that I had to see my abuser every single weekend. Our families got together every Sunday, and he always offered to "take me places" w/ him and take me 4 wheeler riding and this and that.
    I was too afraid to speak up and say I didnt want to go b/c I felt intimidated.
    He went so far as to have intercourse with me several times at that age and even continued for years. The last episode was when I was 14 and he co-ersed me into nude photos and fondled me some. I felt dirty. I felt horrible. Never again did I go their house. I always found a friends house to go to on Sunday.
    (This is the first time I have ever come out about this in writing, so bear with me.)
    I then had complications with my kidneys and bladder and everything "down there". The doctors asked me over and over if anyone had "touched" me inappropriately.
    I always declined out of fear.
    I went on to have a very painful surgery due to this and now have a condition that is lifelong neurologically caused by my kidney/urinary problems at that age.
    I spoke out around age 14 after the pics to my mother who didnt want to talk about it to anyone else or our other family members. She never told my dad, or my brother. She swept it under a rug and that was that. 🙁
    I then suffered mental issues, including bipolar disorder, and ocd. I fear EVERYTHING. I take medication daily and had problems in my sex life for a very long time. When I married my first husband, I had issues with him touching me, especially my breasts, b/c that was where he (my abuser) "fondled" me alot.
    I had an abusive relationship with this husband, and b/c of my intemidation with men, I stayed in it for a long time.
    My second relationship was almost exactly the same… but, more abusive…. resulted in me being thrown downstairs, beaten up regularly, causing me to have a miscarriage.
    I then had very bad issues w/ promiscuity. I had to feel needed by a man, different men at differnt times, I felt awful afterward.
    It took a while, but, I now am a much stronger person… I still have to take medication, and still have issues from time to time and still am AFRAID of EVERYTHING. I have two daughters who I am a little overprotective over, but, my WONDERFUL, AWESOME fiance and I explain things to them to try and help them understand and to let us know if these things ever happen. But, I try profusely to keep them out of any potential situation.

    I hope one day to finnaly be at peace with this and hope that I can forgive. I will NEVER forget.

    -M

  19. Clarice A.

    I finially made my First Holy Communion when i was 13 and was sexually abused afterwards! I was dressed in the required white,poofy,knee length communion dress and veil with the lace anklets and white shoes and had the required white cloth communion diaper and plastic pants under my dress with the tee shirt as my top.Towards the end of my party,a cousin of mine in his late 20s got me alone in our back yard behind our storage barn and put his hand under my dress and rubbed it over my diaper and plastic pants and told me i was just like a little girl! I tried to walk away,but he held me and then pushed me to my knees and forced me to give him oral sex!

    • brittany

      Clarice- That is terrible that your cousin did that to you and i feel for you! I made my first holy communion at 15 and my parish requires the cloth diaper,’rubberpants’ and under shirt under our communion dresses also.Even tho i wasnt abused,i felt weird having them on under my dress for the day.

      • Hannah L.

        When i was 15,i was finially baptized at easter vigil on Easter sunday along with all of the other preteen and teens.All of the boys had to wear a white suit and us girls had to wear a white,puffy,short sleeve,top of the knees baptism dress and bonnet with a tee shirt under neath with a cloth diaper,rubberpants,white tights and white shoes.We were considered babies for our baptisms and the boys gawked at us.Afer we got home,mom and gramma changed me into a pastel pink,above the knees easter dress with a pink bow in my hair and i had the diaper,rubberpants and tights under the dress.My boyfriend came over and saw me and thought i looked like a little girl.When we were alone,he put his hand under my easter dress and felt my diaper and rubberpants under my tights and asked me why i was wearing baby underwear and i told him that they were what we had to wear under our baptism dresses and that i was wearing them to be little girlish in my easter dress since i was baptized as a baby at easter mass. He dumped me a week later!

  20. I have a voice, I will survive

    I am seeing a therapist for the first time next week. I am terrified that she will realise my history….that everything leading up to this point started with my childhood sexual abuse. My Uncle. A man whom my parents now look after. Because after all, he is “family”.
    I am the oldest of 5 and I realised when my parents didn’t ackmowledge what was happening, that it was my duty to protect my younger siblings. I fear I was not always successful…..
    Today I am a GP in her 30’s and I have spent years of training, even emigration to escape my pain. It has caught me. Probably because I want to have children of my own soon – I worry for them.
    I hate travelling back to Ireland from Australia. There I am a child again, afraid and vunerable to my past. The people who were to protect me the most have failed me the greatest.
    My brothers and sister know – they understand. They even encouraged me to stand up to our parents, but I was shut down.
    I hate them.
    I hate what they have done to me, and my siblings.
    I hate that they will never admit their failings.
    I hate that somewhere in the past those children are afraid and lonely.
    I hate that we are torn adults now. Afraid of life.
    But I also promise that we will not turn on each other, that life has become better. That we will have peace someday.

  21. David A

    I was gotten l gluten l flown in from Chicago by a high power and high official in DC. you can look it up but the abuse isn’t stated. I was just a high priced “hotdog” as the report says. But I was flown out with a number of other young boys. Got to see DC, but had to deal with all the rest.

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