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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What the hell do we do?! (Potential trigger warning)

303 replies

Ninhurt · 29/08/2021 16:42

Dsd has just disclosed to me that she thinks she has been abused. BUT (and I few like a complete monster for saying this) it doesn’t really add up and I’m not sure what to do. I used to be so sure I’d instantly call the police but the details are extremely fuzzy.

For instance dsd said that she thinks a teacher from a hobby when she was younger ‘did something’. She doesn’t know what, and doesn’t remember anything happening. She also said she can’t remember the name of the teacher, then later on said that her older sister had googled him and that he had left the country. She then again said she didn’t know his name (then how did her sister google him?)

She has also named a teacher at her primary school that she said she also thinks ‘did something’. But again, she can’t remember anything that may have happened? Just that she ‘has a feeling’. And she said he hugged her once in the staff room?

Dsd is 19. DH is absolutely distraught and wanted to phone 111 for advice but dsd says she doesn’t want to because she can’t actually remember anything happening. She is absolutely adamant that we can’t tell her mum, but we can tell her aunties and Nan?

I’m not an evil stepmom, we actually have a really good relationship, and I feel awful, but I can’t shake the intuition that this isn’t quite true. Again, I don’t want to think this, but it’s almost like she’s enjoying ‘punishing’ her dads side of the family with this.

DH says we have to leave it (but he and his side of the family are in a complete state). I think we should call the non emergency police number for some sort of advice as you never know. And if it (whatever ‘it’ is) is true then this teacher is now a deputy head at a primary school?

DH and dsd are both very against this idea. I feel extremely unsettled and am worried about dsd wondering what else may be wrong (as I don’t think she’d make something like this up flippantly).

OP posts:
QuarantineQueen · 30/08/2021 17:17

@HerRoyalRisesAgain

yes i have read the thread thank you , and it doesnt change my opinion of it all one bit. theres a lot not adding up, an awful lot really Ok so those of us with vague feelings and hazy memories that "don't add up" are we all manipulative liars too? Or just this particular young woman?
That clearly isn't what anyone is saying. However, I don't believe any other poster has had a hazy feeling or memory yet on that basis been able to name specific people, been known to make false accusations about others (ie OP), been noted by a counsellor (and evidenced by actions towards her DF) to have a manipulative personality type, and made strange requests for certain family members she isn't close to to be told instantly. Everyone projecting their own experiences onto the thread, please stop it. It isn't helpful to the OP.
QuarantineQueen · 30/08/2021 17:20

@HerRoyalRisesAgain the 'apologist nonsense' was initially aimed at me. And I certainly have not called her a liar. I have said there are several possibilities and no one should rush to judgements given how complex the case is. And that things should of course proceed on the assumption she is telling the truth.
However, it appears that any recognition that there is more than one possible answer to what is going on - even when borne out of our own professional and personal experiences - is 'apologist nonsense'.

HerRoyalRisesAgain · 30/08/2021 17:20

That clearly isn't what anyone is saying. However, I don't believe any other poster has had a hazy feeling or memory yet on that basis been able to name specific people, been known to make false accusations about others (ie OP), been noted by a counsellor (and evidenced by actions towards her DF) to have a manipulative personality type, and made strange requests for certain family members she isn't close to to be told instantly.
Everyone projecting their own experiences onto the thread, please stop it. It isn't helpful to the OP.

I had exactly that experience. I knew who had hurt me, but no actual memories of the abuse until years later, and I've already said that on this thread.
Also, what's to say OP hasn't lied about how she's treated DSD? If we're just flinging around that women can lie what's to say its not this woman lying?
Regardless, DSD needs therapy and support. She needs someone to say "I believe you" and help her work through it.

QuarantineQueen · 30/08/2021 17:25

Well then we agree she needs support with a counsellor trained in such things. But please remember you are not the DSD in this situation (I don't think!) and you seem to be over identifying.
It may be she is a victim. However, it may also be that she is not. You and I just cannot know that and being hysterical about how she must be telling the truth because you were is not logical or helpful.
I am going to step away from this thread now because I don't think all the projecting that is going on is helping OP. I suggest you do too as it is clearly bringing up some difficult memories for you Flowers

HerRoyalRisesAgain · 30/08/2021 17:27

No one has said she absolutely must be telling the truth, we've all said believe her and get her support. That means believing that she has these feelings and memories and that the only way to move forward is to get her help on the basis of them.

Princessandthepeas · 30/08/2021 17:36

@QuarantineQueen - You are a really horrible creature.

Rivermonsters · 30/08/2021 17:38

@Princessandthepeas calm down, she’s hardly a ‘creature’

thedancingbear · 30/08/2021 18:38

@QuarantineQueen

As I said, there's a lot of projection on this thread. I have experience in this area and although I agree in general accusations of sexual violence are true (and those excellent stats are about all cases) once you add the specific features of this case (historic, vague feeling and no memory but able to accuse more than one specific man, clear emotional blackmail and manipulative behaviour, and known false accusations about the OP) it begins to sound far more like those few cases where it isn't true. I'm not saying it's definitely a false memory or a lie at all - and certainly counselling etc should progress on the assumption it's true because it might be - but given all the details it would be foolish for any professional to not have an open mind. OP, however, just needs to support her DH whilst being wary of her own position.
I agree. If only victims were perfect human beings who behaved exactly as we want and expect the too, they would be much easier to believe, right?

I'm glad there are some decent posters on this thread, because there are a lot of idiotic apologists for violent men, too.

catzwhiskas · 30/08/2021 18:42

Good post cloud. My daughter was very similar to the girl described here and had a bad breakdown. Years later another family member disclosed abuse by my ex of 40 years. My DD thought she remembered something might have happened to her but did not say it was her father. Father jailed . He has never told me anything about what happened . I wonder whether there might have been others involved. More recently she has more or less stopped contact despite initially defending him. It is always complex and almost impossible to disentangle . I would agree that we only see a small amount of the full extent of sexual abuse, especially when perpetrated by those closest. I wish I had been able to get more psychological help. Please seek out the right person, OP.

thedancingbear · 30/08/2021 18:57

@QuarantineQueen

Well then we agree she needs support with a counsellor trained in such things. But please remember you are not the DSD in this situation (I don't think!) and you seem to be over identifying. It may be she is a victim. However, it may also be that she is not. You and I just cannot know that and being hysterical about how she must be telling the truth because you were is not logical or helpful. I am going to step away from this thread now because I don't think all the projecting that is going on is helping OP. I suggest you do too as it is clearly bringing up some difficult memories for you Flowers
Bye then.
HerRoyalRisesAgain · 30/08/2021 21:18

I'm glad there are some decent posters on this thread, because there are a lot of idiotic apologists for violent men, too.

Tell me about it. The rushing to insist the DSD is lying, manipulative or the worry for the potential perps is disgusting. The only thing that the family need to focus on right now is getting DSD the help she clearly needs to figure this all out, she's obviously a very traumatised young woman.
I wonder how some posters would feel if their child revealed this to them, regardless of the child's behaviour before or after?

Hont1986 · 30/08/2021 21:31

www.open.ac.uk/research/news/false-accusations-sexual-violence

"Research for the Home Office suggests that only 4% of cases of sexual violence reported to the UK police are found or suspected to be false."

I wouldn't call 1 in 25 cases "almost never".

HerRoyalRisesAgain · 30/08/2021 21:51

4% means 96% are telling the truth. And that's only those that come forward. So the vast majority tell the truth... so chances DSD is lying is 4%. Would you disbelieve your child if you were 96% sure they were telling the truth? Or would you believe them because a 4% chance is tiny?

Mulhollandmagoo · 31/08/2021 13:01

@Monestera

Not read the full thread so apologies if this has already been discussed

@Mulhollandmagoo do you think that this is one of those threads and topics where it would be prudent to RTFT before commenting?

Not really no.... I read enough that i felt comfortable enough to comment
Monestera · 31/08/2021 13:19

Yet not enough to know if it had already been discussed? And some important or sensitive issues emerged? Ok, I accept your explanation and appreciate you taking the time to share it. Personally, with topics such as child sex abuse I’d take care to “listen” much more than I “talk” for fear of wading in with my old size nines but I admire your hubris.

Mulhollandmagoo · 31/08/2021 13:34

Personally, with topics such as child sex abuse I’d take care to “listen” much more than I “talk” for fear of wading in with my old size nines but I admire your hubris

As is your right, but wouldn't the world be boring if we were all the same

Mulhollandmagoo · 31/08/2021 13:40

Pretty ironic though that on such an important topic, your focus is picking apart my posts 🤷‍♀️

SafeMove · 31/08/2021 13:59

She sounds like me when I was trying to process it all. It is not a picnic and you do feel like you are going off the rails when it is resurfacing because you just feel...well, totally fucking mental. I kept seeing 'visions' (now I understand these are flashbacks) and wondering if I was just making it all up and I hated myself for it. I loved my abuser ffs, he was nice and looked after me! I felt terrible for saying these awful things about him. Even now, after hearing what happened to the other victims, which was a copy/paste account of the same man raping multiple children, I often ask myself if I am remembering correctly. I was manipulative and I lied a lot between the age of 20-23, when it was all came out. I lied about being pregnant ffs. That's how insidious my distress felt and screwed up I was.

My mum had her doubts about my experiences too OP, I think its normal to experience disbelief, I think she only believed it when the police said there had been others, I don't blame her for not believing me tbh, I was a total shit show. I was a state. But none of what you have written in your posts is a surprise to someone who has been sexually abused throughout childhood. It is dark, murky, and disgusting and NOBODY handles it well. Even the doctors, police and social workers, who are trained professionals, struggle with how shit it is to deal with. One Doctor saw an injury on me and thought I had caused it myself, such was the level of 'This can't be happening'. Hang on in there, hope you are still reading after the derailment.

Princessandthepeas · 31/08/2021 18:28

@SafeMove - I think you’ve summed it up really well there especially that nobody handles it well.

The level of ‘this can’t be happening’” is helpful as it maybe gives some insight into why there are still people, including posters on this thread, who are quick to suggest that a woman might well be lying about childhood sexual abuse. Especially if she doesn’t appear as the perfect victim and disclose in exactly the way they think she should.

Maybe it’s because the alternative- which is that there are abusers everywhere and that some of them are prepared to train for years just to get access to children and into positions of trust - is just too hard to accept and admit to.

So the myth of “attention seeking” young women who seek “drama” and make up stories about men is perpetuated because, to some, it is more palatable than accepting the reality and society that we actually live in.

leavesthataregreen · 31/08/2021 18:33

@Hont1986

www.open.ac.uk/research/news/false-accusations-sexual-violence

"Research for the Home Office suggests that only 4% of cases of sexual violence reported to the UK police are found or suspected to be false."

I wouldn't call 1 in 25 cases "almost never".

Maybe not but I'd call 96% true a fairly strong incentive to believe a child who seemed troubled by hazy memories of assault.
beastlyslumber · 31/08/2021 18:36

@Ninhurt Hope you're okay. Sorry the thread seems to have devolved into a bunfight about certain posters' opinions - hope you've been able to benefit from some of the good advice that's been posted and that things are a bit calmer today.

OnlyJoking1 · 01/09/2021 18:30

If she was lying then I’m sure she would give an elaborate dramatic story in order for people to believe her.
The fact things seem confused & muddled fits very well with abuse & processing, abusers are good at gaslighting.
She will be more damaged by not being believed.
She needs support and counselling.

Ninhurt · 02/09/2021 08:40

Thank you everyone for your posts, I have read them all.

Had quite a dramatic few days. Dsd still hasn’t been home, dsd’s mum now knows (dsd apparently got her boyfriends mum to message her!) and was furious with us for not telling her immediately.

We haven’t done anything and apart from sending dsd a message (she wouldn’t answer any calls) saying that we love her and are here whenever she needs us. To be honest it feels like whatever we do it is going to be the wrong thing.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 02/09/2021 09:08

I expect you’re right OP, which is sad but literally what can you do.

Unfair of her mum to be angry with you but you can see where she’s coming from as it came via the BF’s mum who still seems to be loving the drama and has assumed a role that’s highly inappropriate.

Look after yourself and DH.

Ninhurt · 02/09/2021 09:15

Yes, I am finding that my dislike for the bf’s mum is growing by the day, and I’ve never even met her! I really don’t think that she is a good person to be around dsd at the minute but we can’t force her to come home Sad

OP posts: