Soccer,

This is a very emotional post for me to read. I just want to cry, but my daughter is here, so I ought not.

Would a drop-bye visit to this turd with a cop/detective be possible? Put the fear of God into him? Make him wonder if he's going to die in prison.

Maybe formally charge him?

I remain crushed over this. I hate this along with you.

Hi Soccer
I understand where you are coming from.
Lucky for me, I found out that my major perp is dead. In finding the details I was told he suffered a long illness and was bedridden for a couple of years. I remember part of the closure I got on that day .. may he rot in hell.
I think the best way to look at your situation is that yes he's 92 but he likely has no life and that the things that he did to you and probably others haunt him everyday of his life.
Take care of yourself and try to let him go .. I know it's easier said than done.

Thank you all so much for the suggestions and helping me try to cope with this. I see many in this thread seeking closure of their own, some unsure if it would be worth the emotional risk, a few having gotten it and at least some satisfaction. I hope to get it for myself someday.

Only bad feelings came from speaking to him again, especially now that I have learned that my prolonged sexual identity crisis might have been his doing. I eventually learned to accept, like, and enjoy myself as I am - but it's a terrible shock to think that every day of loathing and guilt and doubt for a decade might have been his. No other hurt came close. That isn't just a guy you cold-call.

To Still: There can be no charges. The statute of limitations for civil action expired on my 19th birthday, and for criminal charges on my 23rd. Every year since 2005 the state assembly has introduced legislation to create a one year "Gotcha Last!" window for people to file claims even after SOL is over and every year it has been blocked - for the pretty sensible reason that it was written only to effect religious institutions and private schools, exempting public schools like mine. So even if they pass it, which they won't, I would still have no legal recourse. Meanwhile, I today would surely be held liable for any claim of stalking, harassment, or slander that he or any of his relatives could suggest. So that letter would have to be VERY anonymous, like, no fingerprints.

I applaud your courage, Soccer. I know where my perp lives. I go out of my way and drive by his house every time I go back home. Some day I will get the courage to confront him, talk with him, ask him about HIS journey with all this.

That may sound mild, but I don't want to vent. I don't want to destroy him like he almost destroyed me and my sister and so many others. I just want answers. My whole life has been nothing but questions, and while drilling into him with anger may satisfy me for a moment, it's the answers I really need.

Does he feel remorse? Does he still fantasize about it? Has he forgotten it? Does he still do that to others? Has he done it to his own kids? His decisions alone determined the actions we both took. I had to bend to his will and accommodate him as a result of decisions he made. So I have dealt for years with the consequences of his decisions. Has he? If he hasn't, isn't it about time?

I have read with interest Ken Singer's suggestion on confrontation. I may soon be putting it to the test. And it will be face-to-face.

I understand your situation. I found my perp after searching on line for months, I wonder why I kept searching and did not let sleeping dogs lie--he was still alive and had to be an advanced age. Went back to my hometown to see my Mom and decided I must see him. I parked the car across the street from his house, waiting for him to come out. He did not appear--the house actually looked like no one was home--drapes drawn. I also went to the church where he does part time work--could not enter. This was the first time I tried to see him. The second was several months later and the day after visiting the place of my abuse. First to the house, waited and saw no one. Went to the church a different story and what happened after that haunts me. Any satisfaction, none just more guilt.

In a way I had wished he was dead, then there would be no options--but he was not. And in the end I did not receive any satisfaction just more confusion as to who I was--a part that despised him and another part that felt special towards him. I am not sure if this helps you but be careful-sometimes what we wish for only creates more confusion and hurt.

This thread has inspired me to act. I may compose a new letter and send it without a return address.

After I vent, I want to answers to questions like:

Why did you pick me?
Were there others?
Was that the first time you did that?
Why did you express your sexuality that way?
Were you under the impression that it was consensual? It wasn't....and I was a minor.
Do you still feel the same way about minors?
Do you have any remorse?

This is a real inspiring thread indeed. Two of my rapists I see weekly on campus but cannot bring myself to look at them. One of them was in a class of mine this semester, it was awful. But the others--- the 100s of other men who were my cyber predators online and made child pornography of me--- they remain anonymous, unreachable, and often in other countries. You are SO brave, and I do not know how or what I would say to them, if it were possible to find them. I can only hope that some of their other victims confront them, if not the police as their online activities have left a trail of evidence.

Whatever you choose to do I hope it brings you some sense of closure or greater self-understanding. I have heard it said, and I agree, that survivors need not contact their abuser in order to recover. Some see it as part of their recovery and some do not there is no right way or wrong way. As an added caveat, should you contact him in any way be prepared for his reaction or lack thereof. Often times, these guys will downplay what they did or deny it outright. In my case, I sent a facebook message to my abuser and never received a response. I didn't need one, but that sort of casual dismissal is actually fairly common with contacted abusers - especially if they are unrelated to you and know they will not have to deal with you in everyday life.

Bumping this thread for something of an update....

I have him at last, I got his full address in addition to the phone number. He is in one of those fancy mini-townish assisted living communities. I also found the house he lived in in '86, where apparently his middle-aged daughter still lives. I have it on GoogleMaps right now, I even know its market value.

I still don't know what to do. Part of me feels like I should go to see his house because if I could see a welcome mat, a mailbox he had to check, a garbage can he had to take out, he'd seem less fiendish and irresistibly powerful. Though since my mental image of such a visit also includes me guilting the daughter into shelling out some token sum for my therapy bills, I think more of a reality check is in order. I might just look... don't really know why.

Never did do that confrontation letter. Have always been too afraid to write it, my past attempts would inevitably lead me into reliving, panicking, and.... not wanting to make him mad at me. How much of a chickenshit is that? Since delving into role play therapy and verbalizing my emotional responses I've at least been able to feel one other thing.... not anger or hate per se, but rather... indignation. I am OFFENDED by what he did. By how casual he was, by the presumption, by feeling he had the right to violently vandalize a helpless kid. He patted me on the head, after. And at that much I am now - in a change from the past - able to raise and deepen my inner voice and holler "How DARE you - after all THAT????!!!!?"

Don't know if that's the "voice" you need for such a writing exercise, whether the letter goes sent or unsent. My psychiatrist says I should minimize all thoughts of the perp, that "he's not my enemy," that I should regard it as a hit-and-run driver - like, it was nothing personal, so just learn to walk again. My T senses I'm very ambivalent over it and is not pushing me towards any decision.

I wish he would just die already. And I really really don't want to turn out to have some annual ritual of calling from a blocked number to see if he's dead yet. But I think about doing just that... a lot... Feel like I should have resolved this one way or another by now.


Matt

Hey Matt, good to see you bringing this very important issue again.

Well it looks to me that you are more than ready for writing your letter to him. It hasn't to be send at all, but maybe you could start writing it? At least one try?
Just couple of lines written in message from lost and hurt boy from back than in 1986 to this person now trough strong, intelligent and powerful man called Matt that you become now in 2013.
Let yourself to be channel and voice of hurt boy toward that Eastern European perp.
Listen small Matt, hug him, give him comfort and safety protecting him in your arms. Let him speak loudly. He was left in silence for too long and now there is chance to bring him some light by helping him.
You love him so much and he deserves to be heard. So what is he trying to tell all those years? Why he was silent for so long, what was on his mind that kept him closed in hurt for so long?
There is no need for him to be scared, you are holding him safely and you are there waiting for him. Give him time and assure him.
Let him make it, he can do it with your support.
Just couple of lines...