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Tumultuous past. Since have gotten better. Do I disclose?

User Profile: adventurousZebra8285
adventurousZebra8285 March 23rd, 2024

So here's my story (and none of this has ever been disclosed to my partner):



Growing up, I was abused, molested, raped, and groomed by an older male relative from the ages of 10-16.

Once in my early 20's, I needed to normalize my sexual experiences more, so I went to street workers, in order to have normal sex with a woman.



I didn't go to therapy. I didn't tell anyone about it.
I then meet my partner. The first year into our relationship, I don't really feel a deep sense of love (probably a jaded worldview from my childhood), and I go to a couple escorts, and go to a strip club one night in vegas with a few coworkers and get dances, etc. (Note, every one of my friends and male famil members live this type of way too).



Then, I fall in love with my partner, and I feel no longer wanting to do this stuff. I don''t judge anyone who does it and I keep my friends' secrets and will continue to do so, but it just didn't seem like my type of thing anymore.



Anyways, after I fell in love, there was a bachelor party in Amsterdam. One of the guys brought a few girls home. They were escorts, and each of us had one. I didn’t want to take them to the hotel, but peer pressure was severe. I didn't get hard, I wasn't mentally in it, but I did feel guilty for the first time the next day. I then went to a few red light district nights (no sex, just hj's) to try and assauge the guilt but it didn't work.



Anyways, after that, I never did it again. I went to therapy, and I'm devoted to my partner for sure. But sometimes the guilt comes up still, even after 4 years of marriage. It's definitely less though, but my question is, most communtieies have ZERO sympathy for me. Therapists have been sympathetic however, and I guess I just wanted someone else to talk to about it, like this site. 


Should I tell her? I feel I'd be ruining my life, hers, and vicimizing myself twice (therapist said I viewed cheating as fair game as a coping mechanism; I emulated my abuser, who was also in a relationship, in order to feel less shame about what happened to me).



I'm proud of getting this far, but at the same time, it bothers me that I know she just wouldnt understand if I told her. Sigh. Hopefully with self compassion, I get less guilty episodes...The world is just so damn judgemental without ever walking in your shoes....I feel like a bad person, and I may be, but just need some outside advice here. I’ve done everything to get better but I’m still haunted by my ghosts. Should I tell her? I just can’t bring myself to traumatize her. She’s so sweet and sensitive. I’ve been through trauma. I don’t want her to go through it too :(

I know I’ll feel terrible. And so will she. And I don’t know… I don’t think I could ever recover fTom disclosing  


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User Profile: ASilentObserver
ASilentObserver March 26th, 2024

@adventurousZebra8285 I am sorry to hear about all the trauma you've experienced. You are grappling with difficult feelings of guilt and shame. Please know you have all of us here to listen to and support you. You are not alone in this Zebra. <3 Please continue sharing and being gentle to yourself