🇺🇸
Survivor story

Child-on-child Confusion

Original story

Message to a Survivor

I know it still hurts, I know it was always sting. But let yourself live without hatred of your scars, let them be beautiful.

Message of Healing

Healing is to forgive yourself, to forgive others but never forget. Free yourself from your chains, push forward.

I was 6 years old when I met him. He was 11, almost twelve. He lives two houses down from me - he was so fun. Loud, crazy, wild, unapologetically himself. One night, we were hanging out on his trampoline. I was seven, he was almost 13. I was in a phase of always wearing dresses. I was sitting down my legs open slightly. He collapsed in front of me, and before I knew what was happening, his head was in between my legs, his nails digging into my thighs. I didn't understand, didn't know it wasn't okay. I didn't hate it, so I let him do as he pleased. I thought that would be the end of it. It wasn't. It continued for years, his hands always all over me, his lips always sealed to mine. He told me it was normal. That it was okay. He said that it was just playing. But that our parents wouldn't like it, so not to tell them. I didn't. Until one night - I was almost 9 years old. He shoved me into the bathroom, and I couldn't comprehend what was happening as my clothes were stripped away from me. He was almost 15. We had just been dancing and roller skating before, I didn't know what made it change. But it did change, and I lost my virginity in the bathroom, against my will, before I even reached double digits. It took me until I was almost 11 to tell my mother, and when I did, I was told I could never see him again. He moved away. I was so guilty. But I'm not anymore. I am free if his hands, free to be me. I went through years of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, etc. I'm on my way to recovery, and I won't ever settle that low again.

  • Report

  • Just Checking...

    Discard Message?

    You have a comment in progress, are you sure you want to discard it?

    Similar community content

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

    0

    Members

    0

    Views

    0

    Reactions

    0

    Stories read

    Need to take a break?

    For immediate help, visit {{resource}}

    Made with in Raleigh, NC

    |

    Read our Community Guidelines, Privacy Policy, and Terms

    Post a Message

    Share a message of support with the community.

    We will send you an email as soon as your message is posted, as well as send helpful resources and support.

    Please adhere to our Community Guidelines to help us keep Our Wave a safe space. All messages will be reviewed and identifying information removed before they are posted.

    Ask a Question

    Ask a question about survivorship or supporting survivors.

    We will send you an email as soon as your question is answered, as well as send helpful resources and support.

    How can we help?

    Tell us why you are reporting this content. Our moderation team will review your report shortly.

    Violence, hate, or exploitation

    Threats, hateful language, or sexual coercion

    Bullying or unwanted contact

    Harassment, intimidation, or persistent unwanted messages

    Scam, fraud, or impersonation

    Deceptive requests or claiming to be someone else

    False information

    Misleading claims or deliberate disinformation

    Share Feedback

    Tell us what’s working (and what isn't) so we can keep improving.

    Log in

    Enter the email you used to submit to Our Wave and we'll send you a magic link to access your profile.

    Grounding activity

    Find a comfortable place to sit. Gently close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths - in through your nose (count to 3), out through your mouth (count of 3). Now open your eyes and look around you. Name the following out loud:

    5 – things you can see (you can look within the room and out of the window)

    4 – things you can feel (what is in front of you that you can touch?)

    3 – things you can hear

    2 – things you can smell

    1 – thing you like about yourself.

    Take a deep breath to end.

    From where you are sitting, look around for things that have a texture or are nice or interesting to look at.

    Hold an object in your hand and bring your full focus to it. Look at where shadows fall on parts of it or maybe where there are shapes that form within the object. Feel how heavy or light it is in your hand and what the surface texture feels like under your fingers (This can also be done with a pet if you have one).

    Take a deep breath to end.

    Ask yourself the following questions and answer them out loud:

    1. Where am I?

    2. What day of the week is today?

    3. What is today’s date?

    4. What is the current month?

    5. What is the current year?

    6. How old am I?

    7. What season is it?

    Take a deep breath to end.

    Put your right hand palm down on your left shoulder. Put your left hand palm down on your right shoulder. Choose a sentence that will strengthen you. For example: “I am powerful.” Say the sentence out loud first and pat your right hand on your left shoulder, then your left hand on your right shoulder.

    Alternate the patting. Do ten pats altogether, five on each side, each time repeating your sentences aloud.

    Take a deep breath to end.

    Cross your arms in front of you and draw them towards your chest. With your right hand, hold your left upper arm. With your left hand, hold your right upper arm. Squeeze gently, and pull your arms inwards. Hold the squeeze for a little while, finding the right amount of squeeze for you in this moment. Hold the tension and release. Then squeeze for a little while again and release. Stay like that for a moment.

    Take a deep breath to end.