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TW SA, also extremely long text

sadCat7777 May 22nd

I want to mention beforehand, that I am currently in therapy.


I am, like my boyfriend of 7 years, a survivor of child SA. We dealt with a lot of difficulties regarding our sexuality/ sex drive incompatibility since the beginning of our relationship. I used to be hypersexual (common coping mechanism trying to regain control), realizing later into the relationship that I’m actually asexual. This resulted in a lot of frustrations, misunderstandings and miscommunication on both sides (both people pleaser, I’m especially bad at setting boundaries and saying no, him having difficulties understanding my drastic change, feeling unwanted/rejected/ undesired). With time I also started to understand that being touched on my breasts was a trigger (this trigger developed over time). This was a very blurry and uncomfortable journey, due to me not quiet understanding it yet and my boyfriend not taking it as serious. Sometimes he would „jokingly“ suggest to touch them. I remember one incident, where, during a play fight, he held my arms and pretended to come closer to my breasts with his mouth. Back then I did not realise yet, what deep emotions this actually evoke in me. I was used to being touched, not only due to abuse but generally society, movies, growing up in a female perceived body, ifykyk. Setting boundaries and simply saying no was something that was automatically connected to shame, guilt and fear of rejection aswell as kind of being used to being ignored anyway. Despite all of that I finally managed to set a clear boundary, which my boyfriend did not take as serious till one day I ended up crying. I don’t know what led to that situation but I assume it was build up emotions. It was then, where he understood the seriousness of the situation regarding my breast and stopped touching them all together. Fast forwards a year later, he accidentally touched my breasts,which all of the sudden triggered extreme emotions. By that time I was way more confident in setting boundaries and all in all more aware of abuse I was facing in different relationships. It was in this situation, where I realized that my boyfriend sexually assaulted me. I confronted him with my memories, experiencing a mental breakdown and shock. He also was shocked, assured me that he never wanted to hurt me and never intended his touch in a sexual manner but more as a joke, back then not understanding the seriousness. He apologised and took full responsibility of his actions, and encouraged me to talk to someone about it (I was ashamed and scared to put him in a bad light). He also assured me, that if I were to break up, he would help me financially as well as with my moving situation. All in all, he was very supportive. He is now in therapy and we also went to couples therapy. My therapist explained to me, that through that event was now experiencing repressed trauma from my childhood that was „opened“ with the now new trauma on top. This is when the *** actually dropped, I went through ***. Flashbacks, repressed shame, anger, anxiety, pain, sorrow. Our relationship is doing amazing, better than ever, I love him deeply and I got better but I still feel a lot of shame. Shame for deciding to forgive him especially because I am not willing to forgive my father for the SA. I feel like a hypocrite. Some days (like today) are especially hard. I feel so much anger, while at the same time not allowing myself to feel it. I just don’t know how to fully feel it, cause when I feel it, I feel shame and anger for deciding to stay. I love him deeply, no other person has known me that long, been with me through so much darkness, no one else makes me feel so welcomed. I’m an extremely controlled person, masking my neurodivergence all the time and no one makes me feel so free to simply be myself, comfortable, makes me feel fully accepted and loved, without question. With no one I can think out loud without actually thinking, just existing. He literally is my favourite person. This is why it hurts even more. Everyone who meets us always tells me afterwards how they see us as an aspiring goal, something they want to achieve, their „favourite couple“ which puts me under even more pressure. I feel more ashamed, like I’m carrying around a dark secret that no one is supposed to know, because of my deep urge to protect him. I don’t want anyone to think bad of him, at the same time I feel like a phony, a pretend, fake. It’s like a constant after-thought in the back of my head, my mind, always there, even if very quiet. Feeling like a hypocrite, I constantly feel like I have to justify my decision and I don’t even know why and to whom. I constantly feel like I owe the whole world an explanation, having to defend myself, like everyone out there could see through me and immediately spot this dark secret. „Look at her, so weak, what does that say about her staying with someone who did that to her?“. I feel constant pressure, such a heavy weight but especially shame. Shame for not leaving, shame for staying, shame for deciding to forgive. I’m exhausted. I feel like im betraying someone, maybe myself. Today I'm simply very very sad. Ironically, when I chose my name sadcat I didn't know that it would get shortened to SA which is kind of unfortunate considering the topic I chose to talk about lol. Today is a very difficult day for me and I'm so tired of feeling so alone in this. I dont feel like I can talk to anyone except my therapist. I don't know anyone with similar experience and I yearn so desperately for someone to relate to, someone who would understand, maybe went through the same without my deep fear of being judged. I am genuinely just so extremely sad and then I am angry at him for having done something that now puts me through such an emotional dilemma. I assume to experience dissonance, which I just seem to not be able to resolve. I'm angry because he did it and I'm angry because he is taking accountability and I'm angry because I I appreciate him for taking accountability. I am angry and sad and disappointed and exhausted.

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Tinywhisper11 May 22nd

@sadCat7777 sadcat= sa ... Tinywhisper= tw (trigger warning) we picked such unfortunate user names😂😂

Shame, blame, guilt are feelings I understand all to well. After all the trauma you and I survived its only normal to feel theese things. You forgave your partner, cause you love him and knows he loves you in return. You also realise that unlike your father, your partner did not mean to hurt you. You don't ever even need to think about forgiving your father, or comparing what happened with your partner to what happened with your father. You owe no explanation to anyone including yourself, although that's easier said than done. Cause our brain doesn't always want to cooperate with us wanting to heal. I hate being touched, it quite often brings me to tears, but because of my disabilities, I need my carers to dress me, give me a shower, pick me up. It's embarrassing, and terrifying. But their not doing it to hurt or upset me, just like your partner wasn't doing it to hurt or upset you. One day hopefully soon we can both be happy, where we are and who your with ❤ I'm always here for you, you can talk to me. I'm only a tag away ❤ gives you a giant tiny hug ❤squeezes you tightly ❤ I love you

❤ 

3 replies
sadCat7777 OP May 22nd

I love that our names are matching together creating the title of the post 😭hahahahahah.




Thank you so much for comforting me and also for opening up about your own struggles, it genuinely made me feel a lot better and warm inside. I am really thankful for the opportunity you have given me to enrich my viewpoint by sharing about your complex but interesting experience. Its a bit off topic but yesterday I watched a video about cleanliness by shanspeare on yt where she let a couple of her watchers share their experiences. One disabled person shared how difficult it is to have to rely on people to clean you, because there is this difficulty with having to bargain how your body is getting cleaned which made me think of all the challenges and compromises one has to make regarding your body. I also do not like being touched and have difficulties with washing due to sensory issues and the stress it puts me through. I admire your bravery and strength to go through this on the regular. You also, like you told me, don't have to be ashamed for having basic needs met. You are deserving of being clean and taken care of even if the structure of this society is built like 💩 while at the same time blaming the individual. Human touch should not be something that evokes such extreme negative emotions but here we are, both having to deal with the aftermath of the action of people who made us feel like our bodies are a war zone rather than vessels for rich individual life experiences. I would love to hear more from you. I also read your bio (didn't have enough time making mine yet) you sound so lovely! the fish got pretty lucky. Big, tight hug bag 🫂 (an air hug, cause we both don't like being touched, you could call that a quarantine hug ) ❤️❤️❤️ I dont know if it helps or makes it worse (I hope not) but imagine the little fish you saved telling you, that it feels ashamed and guilty just because it was reliant on your help. Wouldn't you tell the fish, that there is absolutely no need to feel any of those feelings? You didn't blame the fish for needing help, that would be crazy! you simply helped because it is the right thing to do and because if a little fish is deserving of love, why shouldn't you?

2 replies
Tinywhisper11 May 23rd

@sadCat7777 quarantine hug haha! I like that😂😂 we are both pretty simular in our struggles I think. My story is sad and disturbing. But right now your the one who needs a listening ear, and friendly quarantine hugs ❤🙂❤ I'm right here if you want to talk, vent or I can try and answer any questions you might have racing through your mind at the moment ❤


1 reply
Tinywhisper11 May 23rd

@Tinywhisper11 

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