Yeah, mine is probably an odd situation as far as my abuse goes vs. my very stable family life. I realize that. I suspect I would not be nearly as intact or even alive if it wasn't for the security of my family. What happened to me was very removed from my family life, and that may be what has saved me.

I was very fortunate after my assaults and rapes to return to an intact family that I knew loved me, that I had great trust in, and that I knew would always be a place of security for me. They weren't perfect by any means, but they were about as close to always doing the right thing by their children as they possibly could, and that was plenty for me. My developmental needs for safety and love and trust stayed intact despite what the neighbors across the way did to me.