This part of your post really struck me. My AA sponser went through this. She worked hard on this feeling. She would get panic attacks and it took a while to figure out that this was her fear. She was afraid her abuser would come to get her. She slept with the lights on and sometimes would sit with her back to a wall and holding a knife to protect her. When she figured out what she was afraid of she was able to take action. But it took alot of healing time for her to get this strong. But she started facing her fear. On night while she was in bed she got that feeling that he was in the closet. Her inside kids were real scared that he was in the closet. She knew there was no way he could be there but the fear was there anyway. So she got up (the lights were already on) and went to the closet. She opened the door and turned on the light. No one was there. She told her inside kids that she was big now and would not let him hurt them anymore. She showed them the closet and said he could never hide there again. She then talked to her inside kids and told them that she would protect them and not let anything bad happen to them ever again. They got quiet and she closed the closet and turned out the lights and was able to sleep for the first time in a long time.
Diana