Facing Down Evil in One’s Family

Question

Dearest Rabbi,

I am at the “end of my wits.”

My own mother’s sister raped me when I was all of four years of age and again at fourteen years of age.

How do I “even” deal with “this..?”

“This” being incest and in my own family.

I am struggling mightily day by day to “cope” with the devastation and the long term consequences (sequelae in psychological “jargon”).

I am fifty-eight years of age and I have not to date had one single relationship romantic, dating, anything at all.

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    My heart breaks when reading your email. However, there is only one thing that can possibly help (and even then it is not guaranteed) and that is to seek out professional help. To try and find someone whose expertise is in these terrible things and, together with them, to explore what can be done to try and help alleviate the awful and irreversible trauma that was forced upon you.

    Please accept my personal blessing that God bless you with the strength to begin the process of trying to overcome some of the horrific damage that was done to you.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team