I was approached by an individual seeking assistance in losing his virginity to avoid standing out as the only virgin at school. He facilitated a situation where an older individual provided a location for us and directed us to a room with a mattress, where I assisted him in this regard. Subsequently, he engaged in harassing behavior, spreading malicious rumors, and engaging in bullying. In my early 20s, he lured me into a situation, under the pretext of smoking marijuana, and attempted to assault me sexually. A few years later, he expressed intentions to cause me harm to an acquaintance.
Furthermore, this individual pursued a relationship with an someone who was once a friend of mine, leading to escalated threats and harassment directed towards me. Consequently, I had to change my contact information and establish new social media profiles due to the ongoing harassment. Ten years later, at 30, he sent me a friend request on Facebook, and I was uncertain about how to respond to this.
Help Yourself
- Thank you for reaching out to us. Your story may also be able to help teenagers who have been/ could be in similar situations with their peers.
- If someone is harassing or threatening you, you should seek help immediately. This includes reporting it to the authorities in your area, regardless if you are a teenager or an adult. Safety should never be compromised.
- People that you decide to keep in your life should be those who support you and help make you a better version of who you are, or who you want to be. Does this person meet that criteria?
Consider This
- Based on the question above, and if you’re using this site for assistance, I would recommend looking in our “Tools” tab for the topic labeled “8 signs of unhealthy relationships”. If you are unsure about whether to encourage contact, this may help. What would you tell friends or family in this situation if they asked you the same question?
- You may want to consider reaching out to a professional counselor or therapist to talk to. If you’re a victim of abuse and you’re struggling to sever that relationship, they may be able to support you healthily and provide you with ways in which to move on from your unhealthy relationship.
- Lastly, as an adult, you may wish to utilize your company EAP program or consider calling the number on the back of your insurance card to connect to professionals in your area.
