(NC) This is the first time I've ever admitted to this....I was a teenage Mum back in the 1990's. So many people including medical folk, teachers etc looked down on me and said some terribly hurtful things. I have such a thick skin now I'm like a rhino!
I was so determined to prove them all wrong, got my qualifications, good job, worked my arse off, paid off my mortgage in my 40's, more than enough rainy day savings and never claimed benefits (not that there's anything wrong with that but people seemed so against young mums having the cheek to want to feed and clothe their babies via benefits they were entitled to claim back in the 90's..).
The bit no ones knows that caused this 'terrible shame', I was abused by the partner of a distant family member. They're still alive and I occasionally have to be in their company at big family do's like funerals. But, one day, in the not to distant future, I'll be reporting it to the police and they'll probably die of old age in prison. I've always felt I have to wait until some of my closer family are gone first though as it will be like dropping a nuclear bomb on my family.
Oh, and the baby, my now grown-up daughter is just the most amazing person, I'm so bloody proud of her and the person she has become.