Hi Cards,
Welcome to a very helpful site. I have been a part of it for about a year now. I do not post much but there is not a day that goes by that I do not stop bye to read the posts. They are very helpful. I guess the reason I am writing today is because of your last post. It is me. I do not trust anyone. You have to prove yourself first before I feel comfortable around you. I am the quiet one at the parties and all other functions. I sit back and observe. I am afraid to talk. I am afraid that people will riducule me. I am even afraid to post here thinking people will make fun of what I wrote, so I don't write. I am starting to breakdown that barrier of not talking to people. In the last three years, the people I have informed of my abuse have gone from 5 to 30. It does make you feel better when you are able to talk about it. The problem is not everyone wants to hear it. Most of my family do not want to hear it, only 2 out of 7 are interested and supportive. The others, my parents mostly, are very defensive and throw it back at me that I did not do anything. I should have come to them and told them. I was abused by a teacher for 3 years from 7th grade thru 9th. My mom even has thrown it back in my face as why did I go back when I left the school after 8th grade. It hurts that my family is not there for me but I am realizing they have never been there. I can not choose my family but I can choose who I want to be around. I am babbling but it feels good to get it out.

Thanks Cards - your post has been very helpful to me.

Mike

It's a great thing to see that people respond in different ways to the posts on this site, some of us ramble on non stop, maybe too much ?
Others sit back and read what's going on, only occasionally posting. But hopefully gaining the same thing as us chatterboxes do, the support, the different views, and most importantly the contact with people just like "us".

The anonimity of sites like this makes it possible to express ourselves, talk about our hopes and fears. And if we can do it here, then surely we'll learn that we can deal with other people face to face.
We haven't got "sexualy abused" stamped on our foreheads, it's only stamped in our hearts and minds. And the more we talk the easier it gets.

Don't be strangers guys.
Lloydy