ST, July 9, 2006
My brother touches me at night
Q : I AM a 16-year-old girl. My brother, who's three years younger, has touched me on several occasions. He would touch my breasts whenever I am sleeping. Now I am frightened and have difficulty sleeping at night. Often, I will cry myself to sleep. I have not told anyone about this matter but thought of telling my teacher. However, I am afraid that she would tell my parents or make a police report. What should I do?
Scared 'n' Lost
A : What a scary situation to be in when you can't even sleep peacefully in your own home.
In your letter, you sound as if you are trying to protect your brother and not give away the secret of his inappropriate behaviour.
But it can only get worse unless something is done to make him know that this is unacceptable. You cannot pretend any longer to be asleep when he carries on.
I wonder what is preventing you from telling him to stop.
Instead of crying yourself to sleep, how about getting angry over the fact that he has no respect for his older sister?
Touching the private domain of your body when he thinks that you are unaware of it is devious. Even if there is a possibility that something has sparked his curiosity about what a woman's body is like, checking his own sister's body is morally wrong.
However bad you feel right now, it is not your fault.
If it is not possible for you to handle this situation on your own, enlist the help of your mother or father or a family member.
You cannot suffer in silence and he cannot think it is okay to treat his sister this way.
Can another adult in your family help?
Eventually, you will also need to confide in someone and share your anxieties and fear from the time such trauma began.
Another option is for you to approach a family service centre in your neighbourhood and tell them the problem.
Finally, remember this: Your body is your own and nobody has a right over it but you.
