Telling Others

I was molested and raped by an uncle from the time I was six until I was nine. For thirty years I kept silent and did not tell another soul. This past year I began therapy focusing on the abuse I endured. In that time I've begun to open up to a few close friends and family. Most importantly, I've been able to talk to my mom and sister about what happened, though not in any detail. Now I find myself wanting to share more and more, it's as if I need validation for what I went through. But I also feel bad about sharing my pain because it brings pain to others. My mom knows only that I was molested, she doesn't know how long it lasted or that I was also raped. I desperately want to tell her, but I know it will cause her much grief. As difficult and uncomfortable as I know it will be, I feel like this is something I need to do for my own healing.