Grand Rising, Powerful morning & Purposeful Day.
I was raped in my 40’s by a once trusted friend.
Did I try to erase the event then in ways that now many would accuse me of being a liar, yes. Why did you continue to be his friend? Why would you still plan playdate with between the kids? Why would you still go and visit his Mom while he was still living their? Why would you still take lunches for him? Etc. Why? One reason is because when a violation at that level occurs, it most times produces a shock to the world as you thought you knew it and what you believed in, facing realities or doing what others is expecting is not always a logical 1,2,3.
As I confronted him, I looked for evidence that he was remorseful. I wanted deeply to believe that my close friend could not intentionally premeditated this assault. I also didn’t want to believe that I was that stupid to not believe the signs of grooming, of a player. I didn’t want to admit that I was played, again. Did I remain friends thereafter, yes. Did I report him to police, no. I was concerned for the implications of his access to his 3 children which was already in conflict at the time.
I accepted that this friend was intentional in his actions afterward he offered us drinks again while at his Mom’s home. The rape occurred after he was drinking at a wedding we both attended and I was the designated driver and he was the MC. I regretted changing my mind not to attend. It was a very late decision to accept his repeated invitation to assist him with MCing. His Sister, Mom and Sister’s husband repeated query should have also been ignored and follow my gutt to not go.
It was a friendship that at the time I trusted wholeheartedly. Our friendship was a best friend status as we called each other. To the point that everyone expected to always see one of us when you see the other. Our kids were also at the same age, scary too that birthdays were same months, two of our kids were days difference. So yeah, birthday parties, martial arts, movies and kids outings were coordinated. I was on one of his daughter’s pick-up for school and he, and his Mom were on my kids pick-up for their school and our kids did sleep overs at each other homes. So, yes, that was the level of trust we both had for each other.
After being highly intoxicated and being the last to close the wedding hall, the decision was to leave my best friend out of town, with some female that was very willing share her 1 bed hotel room with my best friend. Yeah, I said no. Not only does that go against designated driver expectations but best friend protocol; you come together, you leave together. I wasn’t about to put him infront of that wreck waiting to happen. A drunk black male in a hotel room with a female who isn’t as drunk as him, right. Find another target I thought as I got assistance to get him in my car to make the trip back to Toronto.
After swearing to stop drinking because of his disgust with his actions when I confronted him about his behavior when he drinks alcohol and the rape. Offering us drinks after the rape was a disregard for my safety and condoning his actions. I stopped being his friend when I realised that our friendship was one sided. I began towards moving to my suspicions that all this time, gaining my trust was his ultimate intentions when he began wanting to be my friend. It began being more clear, when he began throwing shade on our friendship when I refused to drink around him and when I began to intentionally remain on the main floor of his Mother’s home when he was home and check-in on his Mom only when he wasn’t around. He didn’t react to caring about maintaining the friendship. I realised that the sex he forced was not an accident due to his alcohol, he fully was aware. When he asked me later if I enjoyed it as to separate the violation and the sex, not wanting the rape to seem terrible if I got value somehow by enjoying the sex, then the event would be downgraded. I ended the friendship and he ended the relationship between our kids. So this was never about our kids either, it was about him.
Coming out of a divorce and never having relations before, during or after my marriage, I realised that was the challenge for him. His intention was to have a friend with benefits and when that was not going to occur, all his deceptions came out by force. He was never in our friendship with good intentions.
Matt Lauer wanting to deflect and his victim blame comments, that I’m sure Brook Nevil has experienced are typical and that’s why MANY women remain silent.
It is cut & dry. No means no.
A victim’s reaction or actions after a violation is not what up question or analysis to downgrade the violation or uphold it. The only question is; at the time of incident, did you hear “no” or “stop”?
I encourage more victims to tell their stories. No shame. No blame. No make wrongs. When we do so we expose predators and release victims.
If by some chance you have been a victim of blind trust that resulted in rape, please know that you are not alone. There are more for you than against you…Lady O ❤💜