Not A Trustworthy Man

I always looked up to my uncles as father figures when my father was not around (he worked a lot). I never once thought that an uncle of mine, a father figure to me would do such a thing to me.

Two or three summers ago, my aunt and mother left to do some shopping and my uncle stays behind and tells me “Hey, let’s go over my house real quick. I’m sure your cousin would like to see you” and I believing him went along with him. He started driving towards his home, and he started talking about how much I wanted a job. He told me “what if I pay you weekly? As in you work for me.” I instantly knew it was red flag… and he parks his car in the worst part ever. The ghetto. He starts talking to me and telling me how much he wanted me… and he started to touch me everywhere and I sat there shocked and paralyzed. All I told him was “stop, this is wrong.” I remember my heart pounding so fast and he started to caress my breast and telling me to calm down. I told him to take me home and on the way back to my house.

He was asking me all these questions about if I was a virgin and how he lasted a couple of minutes. He was offering me to keep my mouth shut. He was offering many things to not tell no one. He dropped me off back home and I could not look back. I ran home and into my room. I felt so disgusted of myself, I felt like everything was my fault and if I was more aware and not gullible I would not have been in that situation.

That same month, my family came from another state and they stayed over his house. In order to keep everything shut, I went over and distanced myself from him. I stayed close to my cousins.

The only way my parents found out is because I told my father and I instantly broke down over the phone and told him everything. I told my mother in person and cried because she was angry I did not tell her first…

This occurred when I was 19 years old… I am 21 years old and I still scared of him… I still live with the nightmares and flashbacks. Till this day, I feel disgusted of myself. I have a boyfriend who loves me and supports me.. but I cannot forget what happened. I trusted a man who I thought loved me as a daughter, not as a sex toy. I trusted a man who gave me advice over colleges and majors.

— Survivor, age 21