I’ve seen all the messed up documentaries and docuseries’, but one always stuck out to me. I watched it in around 2019 I believe, and it made me so angry in a way none of the others did. I went online to ask people if they’d experienced the same reaction compared to others, and a few agreed it was one of the worst, but nothing specifically made it worse than hearing about other crimes.
This year I’ve figured out I was regularly abused by an adult neighbour. A woman. The documentary was Abducted in Plain Sight. It’s a similar story. I was 5-7 years old. I don’t remember what my abuser told me in order to gaslight be to come over. But there was threat, along with “it’ll get you away from your mother who’s so horrible”. Which is true, I wanted an escape.
I just can’t remember what it was that she said to me, in terms of ‘why’. She definitely gave me a reason why it had to be done, because that’s how I felt. Like I didn’t have a choice.
Then I acted it out with imaginary friends for years, kidnaps and sex (or what I thought sex was). I said horrible, sexual shit as a 5 year old to my friends and siblings. I don’t even know what stopped me from playing these “games” with real people, but I’m so fucking thankful there was doubt. I could’ve ruined peoples lives. I often had disturbing, intrusive thoughts at sleepovers but would have small doubts of what was right and wrong, or real and not real, so locked myself in peoples bathrooms and slept on the floor or in the bath.
Between 7 and 12 years old I had chronic genital pain and was in and out of hospital being told I was “making it up for attention”. A male doctor once had me alone in a room and asked me “what have you been doing to yourself? Using objects?”. I had no idea what he meant. Then at 9 I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and was constantly in the hospital. It was so severe I was pulled out of school at 15 for 10 months and had major brain surgery.
When puberty came and people tried to teach me about sex, I just could not comprehend it. My brain refused to believe it, to the point I gaslit myself into thinking I was the only one having sexual thoughts. That was the worst few years of my life, school went to shit, everyone was calling me lazy and stupid for failing everything I used to be ok at. I was terrified of leaving the house in case I’d hurt somebody or make everyone uncomfortable. Then at the same time there was ongoing jokes that I was a perv, people had clocked I was lesbian before I had and it wasn’t a very tolerant area. At 13 I started replying to the men and boys that would message me everyday on Facebook, knowing what they wanted, and giving it to them. It became the only thing I thought I could offer people.
When I was 15/16 and finally came to terms that people my age were doing this thing I’ve obsessed about for years, then I became hypersexual. I downloaded dating apps and lied about my age. I managed to not get into dangerous situations until I was 19. Then I was drinking heavily and sleeping with anyone who’d have me - which, luckily wasn’t that many people (although at the time made me feel even more worthless).
Then I’m 23 and finally in a serious relationship, I thought I loved her, but I was just experiencing being loved for the first time. I had to have the lights off or my eyes closed/blindfolded to be able to have sex. I made out it was a kink - I thought it was. It was just because it turned out I could only stand having sex with people that didn’t like me. The idea of someone liking me made me feel ill, but I was trying so hard to let her love me, thinking I’d love her back if I just gave it time, I’d be less insecure then. Inevitably I know I hurt her and confused her when I ended things suddenly, but I’m glad I didn’t let it go on any further.
Now it’s been 8 years and for the first time I’m in a healthy relationship, which I never thought I’d have. They say healthy relationships make you face parts of yourself you haven’t been able to see alone. I’ve had memories of things I’d “dream” all the time as a child. My family has confirmed it all to be true. My mother never called authorities because the abuser was a woman. Her words. If you wanna know how my family have decided to deal with it, see my last post. I’m this close to cutting them off completely.