[proudofthesouth]

I was molested when I was 12. It's haunted me for many decades.

[Salamander]

I'm very sorry to hear that.

[rochester_veteran]

Back when I was 12, I was coming home from a ball game (Red Wings) by myself, waiting for a bus transfer downtown, just up the street from the Eastman Theater. There was a public phone booth by the bus stop and the phone started ringing. Like an idiot, I answered the phone. The pervert who was calling, described how I looked and what I was wearing and proceeded to tell me what he would do to me if he got ahold of me. I hung up and ran like hell, four blocks to where there were more people waiting for the bus. I was scarred shi!!less. I didn't get physically molested, but the SOB got into my head and there's no way that any sort of pervert/child contact is beneficial. It messes with a kid for years.

[mad puppy]

Speechless. I'm very sorry what what you've had to deal with. The number of people victimized in this way is radically bigger than is reported. You're not alone.