Hi everyone.
Sorry that my first post on these forums is just me asking for help, rather than me being more selfless. I just really need some advice.
My situation is far too complicated to explain in one readable post, so I'll just give you the essentials for the question I want to ask. If you want to know anything more then just ask and I'll tell you.
My mum's ex sexually abused me. Over a period of about 18 months (at which point he and my mum finally split). He didn't actually rape me or anything. I didn't tell anyone about it at the time. About four months ago I told my boyfriend (who was actually with me throughout the time the abuse was going on, and is still with me now), which seemed to trigger PTSD on top of my existing depression (which has grown progressively worse and worse).
I went to my GP recently after my counselling ran out, and told her what had happened to me. She was great, and I should be getting real help very soon. However, she and the mental health staff think I should be pressing charges against my mum's ex, in case he does it to somebody else.
Sounds simple doesn't it. But I really don't feel like I can. From a selfish point of view, I don't want to be dragged through it all again, to see him again (even in court), I don't want everyone to know what has happened to me. I live in quite a small community and it would quickly become public knowledge. I don't want to be labelled or gossiped about. From a selfless point of view I don't want to drag my mum through the court process either, and I don't want her parents to find out because they would literally disown her.
What are the chances of my mum's ex even being convicted of anything? I can't help but feel like it wouldn't be worth it. I have no actual evidence, and as I say he didn't actually rape me. Also his father was a respected policeman.
Please help me. I'm such a mess.
Sorry again for the selfish posting.
Sorry that my first post on these forums is just me asking for help, rather than me being more selfless. I just really need some advice.
My situation is far too complicated to explain in one readable post, so I'll just give you the essentials for the question I want to ask. If you want to know anything more then just ask and I'll tell you.
My mum's ex sexually abused me. Over a period of about 18 months (at which point he and my mum finally split). He didn't actually rape me or anything. I didn't tell anyone about it at the time. About four months ago I told my boyfriend (who was actually with me throughout the time the abuse was going on, and is still with me now), which seemed to trigger PTSD on top of my existing depression (which has grown progressively worse and worse).
I went to my GP recently after my counselling ran out, and told her what had happened to me. She was great, and I should be getting real help very soon. However, she and the mental health staff think I should be pressing charges against my mum's ex, in case he does it to somebody else.
Sounds simple doesn't it. But I really don't feel like I can. From a selfish point of view, I don't want to be dragged through it all again, to see him again (even in court), I don't want everyone to know what has happened to me. I live in quite a small community and it would quickly become public knowledge. I don't want to be labelled or gossiped about. From a selfless point of view I don't want to drag my mum through the court process either, and I don't want her parents to find out because they would literally disown her.
What are the chances of my mum's ex even being convicted of anything? I can't help but feel like it wouldn't be worth it. I have no actual evidence, and as I say he didn't actually rape me. Also his father was a respected policeman.
Please help me. I'm such a mess.
Sorry again for the selfish posting.