yersinia-p

It goes to show you kindness comes from the most unexpected places sometimes :)

Wh... Did you think Israel is just full of people sitting around cackling and twirling their villainous moustaches over human suffering? I know you meant well, but this comment is so, so ignorant.

Cooper Scooper.

I just want to thank you for posting this. As a survivor as well, it really means a lot to see people being open about their experiences, and to know that it has affected other people in the same way it's affected me. My situation is different in that it was an older 'child' rather than an adult (though certainly old enough to know better) and I am not in a position to be open offline... After a lot of soul-searching, I've decided to let it be for a number of reasons.

I'm glad you've managed to overcome it and find peace, and I'm also so, so glad you have found love and been able to have children. Having a family and children of my own is my dream, and though our paths have been quite different in some of the ways we relate to our sexuality, it gives me a lot of hope to see someone else with the same sort of experiences who has been able to overcome them.

I also want to thank you for taking into account the feelings of the other girls who would have to testify when you made your decision to accept the plea deal. As a child, other people finding out about what 'we did' (I know now it's really what he did) was terrifying to me, and even still it's like trying to speak with my tongue glued to the roof of my mouth to actually say the words. You saved them a lot of grief, I think, and it will be better for them to replay their experiences in private with a caring professional, rather than in front of a court room full of family, strange people, and the man who did it to them.

I do have a question, if you're willing to answer - We're different in that you ended up being very sexually active, and I went in the opposite direction. Still, you've mentioned feeling dirty and scared and unwanted, and I wanted to know if there was anything in particular you could recommend for being able to overcome those feelings. I am attending therapy, but I'm considering seeking other options/therapists as I'm not sure the way we're going is doing much good for me.

Is it really though, in comparison to some of the other countries who have also helped? Geographically, Israel is closer to Nepal than almost all of Europe, for example.

Perhaps I was hasty, but looking around this post at some of the other comments I see (or anything having to do with Israel on this website, lbr), I wouldn't say my cynicism is necessarily unwarranted.