I was never sexually abused, but I was emotionally abused. The one thing my good friend Doug taught me is that you never keep stuff like this inside. Like my T says, you either vent or you die.

Never apologize for venting. If you can't vent here, where can you vent? I vent through wrting all the time because as a person with a disability, I have few other outlets for the emotional torment I deal with. I haven't known a day of peace from it since childhood.

When a child is abused, unless the issues are addressed, the damage is forever and even then some people never recover. And sexual abuse is probably the worst type of abuse because it can leave you feeling so ashamed.

At least you are talking about it. Some people never do and it takes others years to discuss it. When talking about things we are deeply ashamed about, it can take years to bring it into the light. I know it was this way in discussing my time at the psychiatric institute where I spent a year and a half. That happened 25 years ago and though no sexual abuse took place there, I am still deeply ashamed to have been there and in general do not discuss my time there nor think about it. But it is always with me and has coloured every experience I have had. I can only imagine how it must be for you, having been betrayed by a family member.

Abusers count on this secrecy and shame to continue to operate. But it's always worse when it's a family member, because these are the people who should be protecting you. And there is always the fear that once you "come out", you will not be believed.

Anyway, this is a safe place to vent and there is no need to apologize. If there were, then I would have to apologize first, because I am guilty of venting too. We all do it. It's a safety valve for built-up pressure and stress. If we didn't have it, where would we be?