DEAR ABBY: When I was 7 or 8, I was molested by a friend of the family -- but my real problem is my mother. After the incident, I had nightmares and wanted my mother to sleep with me. One morning I woke up and felt her touching me where I shouldn't be touched. I didn't know what to do, so I moved away from her. It happened three more times, until I finally asked her to stop sleeping with me.
I am now 14, and about to become an aunt. I'm afraid of what my mother might do to the baby. I'm afraid to say anything because I don't think anyone will believe me. (After the incidents I became distant to Mother and we don't get along.)
What should I do about this, and what would make her do such a thing to her own daughter, knowing I was already trying to get over having been molested? -- SCARED IN SAN DIEGO
DEAR SCARED: Your mother is sick. Your concerns about the baby are justified, and you have kept this secret too long. Please tell the parents-to-be so they can protect their little one from your mother. Because you are afraid you may not be believed, start out this way: "You may have wondered why I don't get along with Mother. This is the reason -- and I'm worried about the safety of your baby."
Your mother may have been molested herself, or she may simply have touched you out of some warped sense of power. She should never be alone with any child who is too small to fight her off. Please discuss this with a trusted teacher or counselor at school, so you can receive professional counseling regarding your multiple molestations. You have my sympathy.