Abstinence after assault
Hey everyone, I wanted to bring up the topic of abstinence after assault because I have really been struggling with this lately. I was sexually assaulted when I was 18 by two men at a party and was able to escape the situation, but about a month later I was date raped which is when I lost my virginity.
After this incident, there was a period of about six months when I didn't have sex because I was waiting to get back together with my high school boyfriend. When he and I got back together, we began having sex and I told him that it was my first time. After dating for a few months, we broke up again for the last time and I was devastated by the breakup and coming to terms with the assault. I became very promiscuous and jumped from one sexual partner to the next for about three years. I took little care in who I chose for partners and so this was a very emotionally damaging time in my life.
After those three years, I was able to work towards more healthy coping skills and was able to be abstinent for about a year. Abstinence is what I really want to practice as a Christian who would like to meet a long-time partner and remain abstinent with that partner until marriage. But after a recent relationship that was very manipulative, I've reverted to using sex with strangers and people who don't care about me as a way to react when I'm under stress. And honestly, sex is fun too, and that is hard to let go of as well.
Does anyone have experience with a similar situation/response to assault/rape? Is there anyone else trying to remain abstinent who just can't seem to keep it together? I need help, encouragement, advice, whatever from fellow Christians on how to return to abstinence after a trauma and after living in sexual sin for so long.
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