4. I was kidnapped by my father, and tortured, molested, and sodomized for over a week.

“I was kidnapped by my father, and tortured, molested and sodomized for over a week while it took getting state police across multiple states to get me back. There isn’t a news report of this; I’ve already checked. The worst part, my mother never believed me, and I while I wasn’t ever too afraid to talk to people about it, I never can tell anyone how deep the pain runs.

Even when you think you are a success, no matter how many mountains you climb, or what you accomplish, it is still overshadowed by your past. When you talk to other people they have no idea how deeply the pain runs through you. What it does, the power that it carries. Even as someone who is viewed externally as being successful, I still feel like a failure at anything. I don’t want to give too much away, because I don’t want this traced back to me.

A simple, senseless act from another person turns you into a zombie. You fake emotion to others, you fake your attitude, but what really rattles around inside of your head is something that can’t be described. Such overwhelming, crushing force that is involved with everything.

Sexuality wise, I’ve still a virgin, and I’m in my late 20s. I don’t even know who to look at, what I’m attracted to, what gender, what sexual roles, etc. I don’t have a mental construct or feeling of what love is; that side of me is very dead. I fake it that I suck at relationships when talking to others, but the truth is, I feel pain for not being a success at them, but I’m largely emotionless at the actual connection of love. I haven’t ever had anyone in my life that really had that bond with me. I’ve had mentors, sure, close friends as well. But a romantic relationship, I have no idea of what that is like.”
—ThrowAwayMil1800des

5. I was molested by my parents. Often.

“I was molested by my parents. Often. I also had some touching with my brother. I never feel comfortable telling anyone. It came out because a friend saw it, and it hurt to lose him as a friend. He never felt comfortable around me again. I was asked the most uncomfortable awkward questions by the social workers. Little to no regard for my age or innocence. In the end, even though the facts were out, I was never removed from either parent’s care. They divorced and never talked about it again. Most the time I don’t think about it. I guess it’s not as haunting as it could be, but I really block out that portion of my life. I don’t really talk to my parents anymore. I just want to live and forget.”
—Rapedbyparents