as difficult as it is for a victim...not reporting can and will result in continued abuse...it is also very likely that the abuser moves on to additional victims...how could someone live with themselves knowing that they could have possibly prevented someone else getting hurt...
there is another piece to this...exploratory abuse that evolves into more sinister acts...
i don't think the duggar family did their son or daughters any favors
i also do not subscribe to the notion that it isn't sexual abuse if it is only touching...fuck that shit...touching and fondling is where is starts...penetration is an evolved abuser
family is a place where we should feel safe...too many times these things happen in families where someone has a screw loose...i am not as interested to keep peace in a family as I am about protecting a child...
[FONT="]excellent post!
I will tell you (as a survivor) that one of the most difficult things ever is living with oneself when they have not reported....and even further living with it all once it's been reported but discounted, dismissed, or "too late".
First, victims have to come to the realization of the truth of what has happened. Especially in situations like this one (and by taking a look at some of what the family taught) the girls may still not even be aware of the extent of what their brother did was. It often takes the victim getting away from the environment for a period of time and feeling safe for things to come out. Many have PTSD and deal with all sorts of horrendous after effects. They have most likely blamed themselves (along with the rest of the folks in their environment blaming them), and gone through all sorts of mental trips regarding the validity of what has happened. Then they have to be strong enough to be able to say something and keep saying something until someone listens, believes, and will help them in some way.
As much as I don't agree with North about soooo many things. I really think what he did by saying something about the abuse he knew about, was a great thing. I say this even though he had to deal with terrible fall out from the victim. In the long run, it will probably be something that she will be very grateful for....one day.
I was 27 before I had someone in my life who clearly said what happened to me was WRONG and stood up for me. Until then I was made to think that things couldn't have been that bad and so forth. To be fair, I certainly had never told anyone the Full extent of things. There were some things that were out in the open and I was made to think that I just had "issues" or maybe was too "prudish" or "sexually repressed", etc. I had been in therapy for years too. It wasn't until I had a friend who said something and I went to a therapist who specialized in abuse/molestation that things changed. It was a very long difficult process. During which, I had some friends from high school tell me that they had known things, or even been approached and abused. And yes, I felt like it was my fault because they were my friends.
I contacted the police, attorneys, church leaders (they had become big in some church) and all sorts of other people.
I think too in some of these cases it can be very difficult to understand the power (thanks Gorath) and how far reaching the control can be. I was sure things were all my fault and I was terrified for years after.
And be clear, no one would have known. Many victims over compensate and become over achievers.[/FONT]