Was this grooming?
I quite recently just started to realize that the relationship I had with my dorm counselor probably was inappropriate. So what I'm asking is, was this grooming?
I'll start with some background. So I moved to a dormitory at 14 because I felt that I had no choice with the situation I had at home with my parents (they fought alot). I was also severely depressed and needed someone to talk to about a traumatic experience. I quickly started trusting a male counselor who saw that everything wasn't alright. I confided in him and talked to him almost everyday in his office or anywhere really where we could be alone. I really needed some love and someone who would listen and understand. Our relationship got deeper everytime I spent time with him and I kind of saw him as a spare dad. Even then I started to think it was weird how attentive he was towards me and that he wasn't like that with the other kids, but I needed him so I pushed those thoughts away.
So here are some of the things that led me to think he was being inappropriate: He bought me gifts and normal childhood experiences that I hadn't been able to experience because of my strict parents. He subtly told me that he loved me in front of a bunch of my school mates and his colleagues, I felt very special because of that one. He invited me into his home to talk about my early sexual trauma, often late at night, even past the dormitory bed times. He texted me and called me about meeting up and about the fact that I was loved by him. He gave me massages when I had back problems. He gave me long hugs almost daily. When he checked that everyone was in their rooms at bedtime he stayed longer at my door. He also gave me a ride home to my parents once, this was definitely not usual.
I can't remember anything sexual happening except that I might have felt him getting an erection once or twice when we were hugging. Him inviting me home stopped when my mom found out about it and didn't approve. I was sad about it but kind of relieved at the same time.
I feel confused because I don't think that anything happened, but at the same time it wasn't completely right either. Am I wrong?
Posted May 11, 2025, 4:43 PM UTC