One Of Many...

     The literature says that ministers who cross the boundaries have usually done it a number of times. That means any woman finding herself in a sexual abuse situation with the minister, or counselor, or therapist, or teacher, etc..... is probably not the first woman for him. As special and cared-for as she would like to believe she is to this person who is taking over her life, she's not. She, most likely, is one of many.
     How does that make her feel? Well I know how it made me feel. At first, I tried harder to please. I tried not to think about the boundaries that were being crossed. I soaked up the attention and affection that came my way. I basked in the praise, and in the many wonderful attributes he said I was blessed with. It fed my ego, affirmed that he valued me, and apparently was filling an empty space in my life.
     But wait a minute... he's done it before? I'm not the first?... Not the one and only?... As this revelation came into focus, I was no longer so eager for his attention. If there were others, and now he had moved on to "another" [that would be me], then eventually he would probably move on again.
     He was using me... and that's all.... like I was an object to play with for a while and then discard. He was using me... and I was only one of many.