Dear Queenie,
When I was in high school I was molested by a friend of my parents who was visiting. I told my family and they confronted him and he admitted it and said he was sorry and they forgave him.
My problem is they are still friends with him even though I can’t stand to be around him.
Queenie, how can they treat me this way, as if what he did to me doesn’t matter to them at all?—Betrayed by family
Dear Betrayed,
Have you told your family how you feel about this? Many people who have not experienced such an assault do not understand how traumatic it is to the victim.
As always, I recommend professional counselling to help you cope with your feelings on the subject. Also, your counsellor might be able to help your family understand how you feel about their continued association with this person.
