Cartoon Love Gone Wrong
Author: 21 years old, Yemen
Three years ago, I, my elder sister and my friends went to the amusement park. I saw this big Mickey Mouse guy who had all his body covered except his hands. I wanted to take a picture with him and so we approached. He hugged me. I was shocked but I acted normal to not distress my friends and sister. While my sister was fixing the camera, he started grabbing me hard and touching me in a harassing way and trying to kiss me. I took the picture and moved away. I told them about what happened, but they blamed me that it was my fault and turned it into a joke. I laughed about it not knowing it would affect me this much. I started having difficulty sleeping where I would get nightmares, suffocate in the middle and wake up scared. Also, I would not hug or physically contact any person skin to skin, and I cannot bear loud kisses. Year by year, and with avoidance to all the triggers like hugs, kisses, Mickey Mouse and so on. I started getting better, at least not suffocating in my sleep. I considered seeing a therapist multiple of times, however; I was too scared to tell my mother because she might blame me for taking that picture. So, I guess I decided to just live with it and maybe see a therapist in the future.