Family and Friends Forum

I sometimes think about how unfair all of this is. We didn't ask for or expect any of it to happen. I think we are victims in so many senses (but not the legal one, so there is nobody who we can go to to get sympathy or support from - apart from Lucy Faithfull Foundation, of course!). We are victims of circumstances that cause us to suffer in so many ways. We have been betrayed by the very individuals who are supposed to cherish and support us, and this betrayal often leads to the ending of long-term relationships with a consequent loss of emotional and financial security. We are victims of the public's ignorance and prejudice, and sometimes our own careers are affected by the criminal behaviour of our partners. This crime robs us of our sense of worth, self-esteem, trust, peace of mind. We lose sleep, we lose our ability to control our moods, and sometimes we lose friends who just can't understand what we are going through (I have).

I know this sounds a bit negative, and I suppose it is a bit of off-loading. But I think it is good to acknowledge just how damaged we are as a result of someone else's actions.