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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

I think about it all the time, it's intrusive *may be triggering for others*

17 replies

wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 14:17

NC for this. I'm not sure if this is the right thread to post in, and I'm sorry if this upsets anyone.
Okay some back story. When I was 17, I had a big thing for this guy. Not particularly good looking or much of a catch really. But I was a bit overweight and he was a friend who was really lovely to me, when a lot of guys weren't. We had a bit of a thing going, would kiss at house parties and acted like we were together without officially saying it. He was kind of open to his friends about having feelings for me, but would get a bit of a roasting because I was the big girl in the friendship group, I was also friends with these people but had awful self esteem back then so thought that's all I was worth. It's worth noting I was a virgin at this time.

Anyway we had fooled around a bit after drinking a few times and this one particular time, after a good few drinks, I told him I wanted to have sex. We get back to my house and proceed with kissing which then led to me performing oral sex, which he pushed my head down for. I hated it, it made me feel sick but I didn't stop or show signs of disliking it. After this ended he then proceeded to have sex, before he penetrated me I quickly but clearly said no. But he did it anyway. I maybe didn't say no in time, and didn't say no again because in my mind I wasn't a virgin anymore, so it didn't matter if I stopped him or not. I didn't enjoy any of it. But the next day I gloated to my friends that I lost my virginity. He didn't even say hi to me the next day, and after that we didn't speak much. Until a couple months later when I saw him on a night out and then willingly had sex with him again. I then tried to continue to try to make some kind of relationship with him, which was all one sided. And then after a few months of him messing me around I messaged him drunk one night. The words "I said no" to which he blew at me and said he couldn't believe I was trying to accuse him of rape. Which I wasn't really, I don't really know what I was trying to achieve in messaging him. And then I apologised and said I didn't mean it. Our communication then ended for a while, but after a couple years we saw each other again and I still felt I had feelings for him, and wanted to start things up again. I still don't understand why I felt like this.

The first time I ever told anyone about this was last year, but I have intrusive thoughts of it on a daily basis and relive the moment I said no all the time, and even while writing this my heart is racing and my hands are shaking. Can I still justify feeling like this, when I let it continue and did nothing else to stop it? I didn't say no again, I didn't push him off or show any more signs of not wanting too (I didn't show signs of enjoying it, I don't think anyway). I even changed position when he told me to get on all fours. Why did I go along with it? I still can't make sense of why I didn't do anything. And even worse still wanted some kind of relationship. I'm still so confused about it all.

I'm not sure what I'm asking for by posting here. I think actually maybe I just want to vent, or get it out of me again because it's not something I've spoken about much at all.

OP posts:
Bobbotgegrinch · 25/10/2023 15:59

Hi OP,

Just wanted to bump your thread before it disappeared off the front of the board without anyone else better suited having a chance to reply.

I don't really have the life experience to offer advice here (I'm male), so I won't try other than to say that I'm sorry that this happened to you and that I'd really recommend talking it through with a professional. I think its perfectly normal to have the experience going round your head all these years later, but some therapy would give you a chance to unpack it and try and put these feelings to rest.

ForfarFourEastFifeFive · 25/10/2023 16:08

Well, I’m not surprised that you’re still traumatised by this, because he raped you. If you say no to any sexual act, or part way through, or ask someone to stop, you have withdrawn your consent. He continued after you said no, and that was rape.

So this is a serious enough incident to have caused you lasting trauma, and I am very sorry it happened to you. I would definitely suggest you seek out some therapy to help you better manage your feelings about what happened, and try to banish these intrusive thoughts.

wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 20:11

Thank you for the replies. And I do think you're both right and actually talking to a professional may help me understand these thoughts. I'd like to get a handle on them really.
I guess I struggle with accepting it as actual rape, and maybe therapy will help with that. At present I still hold myself more accountable for not making it more clear.

OP posts:
porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 20:17

Can I still justify feeling like this, when I let it continue and did nothing else to stop it?

Oh OP this is so common, the freeze/fawn response, it's a shame if it's not more well known.

At present I still hold myself more accountable for not making it more clear.

You said no, you can't be more clear than that. Then he had sex with you anyway.

EMDR therapy is the best for processing trauma, so that might be something you want to look into. You can get it on the NHS to some extent, too.

PaminaMozart · 25/10/2023 20:26

You were raped and it is no surprise that you are finding this difficult to come to terms with. Coupled with your low self-esteem and the fact that you were a virgin, plus his callous treatment of you afterwards, this is quite a large plate of trauma.

Counselling would definitely be the way forward. Talk to your GP about a referral and/or pay for a few sessions yourself, at least until the referral comes through.

In the meantime, can you read some self-help books, such as The Six Pillars of Self Esteem and Women Who Love Too Much, both of which are classics that have helped many.

AltheaVestr1t · 25/10/2023 20:28

Hi OP, I'm not a professional, but you are having intrusive thoughts following a sexual assault, which sounds very much like PTSD. I would recommend you see a trained trauma therapist.

Biasquia · 25/10/2023 20:34

Your whole experience explains the very complex emotions that happen around rape and abuse and you were raped and he was very abusive towards you. It isn’t unusual for women to do versions of what you did in these situations and clearly his behaviour screams that he knew well he did something very wrong. I agree with pp it is very likely you have PTSD and also you can hear a huge amount of shame that isn’t yours but that you still carry with you.

CameleonAreFightingBack · 25/10/2023 21:04

It was rape @wasitmeorhim . I’m sorry 😢

And it is not surprising it’s still in your head, triggering you each time you think about it.

Rape Crisis can be really great to support you there too.

((hugs))

zurala · 25/10/2023 21:32

Oh OP I had an experience which was quite similar. I was date raped in which I froze like you did, then tried to have a relationship with him afterwards I think because I couldn't accept what had happened. It took me a long time to get over it. Definitely get some counselling. Sending you hugs.

porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 22:14

I flirted online with a young man who coerced me into sexual stuff, in later life. My sexuality was not really developed yet at 15, I was a late developer in that way, and that early experience somehow was a big part of my sexual fantasy life, even though I didn't enjoy it or really sign up for it. These things can effect us in all sorts of different ways.

wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 22:28

Oh wow. This thread is making me feel differently about everything.

I think I've been very avoidant with my experience, I've always felt like rape was too strong a word to describe it. But as the years have passed, I've been feeling more and more uncomfortable about it. Since having my daughter the flashbacks are getting more frequent and I'm finding it harder to ignore them.

I will definitely take some of this advice and seek some professional help. I appreciate your responses!

OP posts:
wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 22:32

zurala · 25/10/2023 21:32

Oh OP I had an experience which was quite similar. I was date raped in which I froze like you did, then tried to have a relationship with him afterwards I think because I couldn't accept what had happened. It took me a long time to get over it. Definitely get some counselling. Sending you hugs.

I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm so glad your doing okay. Can I ask whether you received any therapy and if that helped you at all?

OP posts:
porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 22:35

I can definitely recommend EMDR OP, I had it for the effects of trauma of various kinds, and it helped.

wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 22:38

porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 22:35

I can definitely recommend EMDR OP, I had it for the effects of trauma of various kinds, and it helped.

Thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely look into it.
I'm sorry for your experience also, I hope you are doing better now.

OP posts:
porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 22:53

Thanks. I'm a lot more emotionally resilient than I was before I had it.

porridgeisbae · 25/10/2023 22:55

I had a particular painful memory that would replay at times, now the emotion isn't as strong at all when I relive it, and I don't relive it as often.

zurala · 25/10/2023 23:09

wasitmeorhim · 25/10/2023 22:32

I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm so glad your doing okay. Can I ask whether you received any therapy and if that helped you at all?

Yes I've done quite a lot of counselling and that really helped. I had to stop feeling guilty, and also to kind of let it go mentally. I never reported him, so I knew he would never be punished, and I had to find peace with that for my own sake. It took a lot of time and being kind to myself.

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