My biggest secret is that at around 7 years old my moms brother that has lived with us since I was small and still continues living with us began touching me inappropriately he would rub his thing on my a** and I even caught him taking pictures of me. And I really wish I could tell my mom but me and her have no communication at all and she wouldn’t believe me. Now I am 17 years old about to turn 18 and I’m still afraid to be near him alone. I always feel him looking at me in a weird way, I have a bf and he’s always telling me that would happen if he cheated on me like if he was jealous. I’ve never said anything because I’m scared of what people are gonna think of me and that no one is gonna believe me. It hurts knowing that it be your own “family” the one that’s fucking you up :(

My parents split up in August of 2018. I was so mad at him for everything he did to me and my family, including my mom. He chose hard drugs, and to cheat on my mom with her childhood bestfriend. I texted him once in a while, because I was 15 and I wanted to make sure my dad knew I didn’t hate him. Then I cut off contact with him after seeing him again in December and hugging him for the last time. I was never able to see him. In March 2021, (my room was right beside the front door) I took a nap at 6pm and woke up at 8pm, to the front door being opened and my mom talking at the door, my grandma was crying and my siblings were upstairs. I was so confused and my grandma comforted me while crying, I asked her if my dad was dead. She said “yes my girl.. he killed himself..” I was in shock at first and I let out the most blood curdling cry. I regret not talking to him. I believe that it’s my fault he’s dead, because I didn’t talk to him. I have the last message he sent to me, and I read it almost every day. I wish I could have done something to save him. Maybe I could have stopped him.

• August 5, 2023