A woman shares her story of being emotionally and sexually abused by a 17-year-old man when she was 13. He groomed her online, building a relationship and gaining her trust, before pressuring her into sending explicit pictures and threatening her with suicide if she didn't comply. The abuse continued for years, with the man using tactics like gaslighting and isolation to control her. The woman eventually found the strength to break free and is now sharing her story to warn others, especially young people, about the dangers of online grooming and abuse. This is the first part of a three-part series.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The author was 13 years old when they started dating a 17-year-old boy.
2. The author met the boy on a website called Art Spots, where they drew and chatted with other users.
3. The author initially thought the boy's compliments were genuine, but later realized they were a form of grooming.
4. The boy pressured the author into sending explicit pictures of themselves and threatened the author when they said no.
5. The author was 15 years old when the boy, then 21, used tactics to take inappropriate pictures of the author.
6. The boy demanded that the author send him at least 30 Snapchats per day and would get angry if the author didn't comply.
7. The boy gaslighted the author, denying reality and convincing the author to doubt their own memory, perceptions, and sanity.
8. The author was threatened with suicide by the boy if they didn't go along with his demands.
9. The boy also harassed and stalked another girl in high school, using fake phone numbers to contact her.
10. The author's passwords were demanded by the boy to ensure the author didn't contact the other girl.
11. The author was threatened with death by the boy if they didn't comply with his demands.
12. The author was isolated from friends and family by the boy, who would punish the author if they didn't spend time with him.
13. The author developed Stockholm Syndrome, feeling a psychological alliance with their captor as a survival strategy.
14. The author eventually went to college, where they were still being manipulated by the boy.
Note: These facts are based on the author's account and may not be verified or proven.