Is it normal for my doctor friend to move in with my molester?

My husband and I live in a 5bdrm house and rent furnished rooms to lodgers. Our son has left home, my husband works long hours as a lawyer, I was lonely, so it seemed like a good idea. One of our lodgers was gay doctor "Dave" (46) a recent med school grad who worked as an intern. Dave quickly became good friends with me, my husband and became a mentor to our son Mark, who is a med student. I taught Dave Ashtanga yoga every day and spent hours mending his clothes as his intern salary was low and his working hours long; he didn't have the time or $$ to buy new clothes. I did so many things for him because he had no one to look after him. We treated him like a brother. My husband even introduced him to his brother, who is one of the most senior physicians in the state.

We had another lodger, "John" (53), who was a witty and urbane divorced gentleman with two children, worked as a recruitment consultant, but was an alcoholic and chain smoker. We all became good friends. I am a recovered addict and ex-smoker and John found that difficult because it probably made him feel like a failure, even though I was always kind to him and never judgmental. John would act out by sometimes insulting me but I was sympathetic and put up with a lot before I finally put my foot down. John had a lot of repressed anger towards certain demographics, e.g. sexually-liberated women and anyone he perceived as lower class. One week, my husband was away on business and John and I hung out together and shared a drink and a joint, which is something I rarely do. Later that evening, John molested me against my will but fortunately it did not involve penetration. Nonetheless, I felt very angry, violated & sullied, esp since he kept on doing it over and over again, despite my protestations. He knew I was happily married and I found it insulting, like he thought of me as a tramp. Eventually, I ran away, slammed my bedroom door, and that was the end of that. John had a penchant for stealing alcohol from his housemates whilst drunk and we had numerous problems with him. However, he wouldn't move out and I felt sorry for him and we all still loved him. I did not confront him about the molestation because I thought that he was too ashamed by it. We did not speak of it for months but I confided in Dave (the doctor) about it a few weeks later.

Some months later, a female cardiologist from Ireland, Jane (39), moved in with all of us and quickly became friendly with John (my molestor). Jane didn't know even the most basic history of her own country, such as the Irish War of Independence. I found it bizarre for anyone to be that ignorant, let alone a doctor, let alone a specialist.
She didn't even know much about general medicine, outside cardiology. She knew very little about anything, really.
1. IS THAT NORMAL?
It was impossible for me to bond with someone that vacuous. Everybody else also found her to be stupid and Dave (the other doctor) did not seem to like her, as she started giving Dave unsolicited professional advice. After living with us for 3 days, she barked at Dave, "You need to learn to hand over!" because he was late coming home and had to go back to work later that evening. Later that week, Jane asked me, "Does Dave bring his little boys home?" I found this question highly offensive as Dave is a gay man, not a paedophile. Jane was obviously a bigot. She also refused to share her electric toothbrush handle with Dave, even though they are designed to be used by entire families, each with a different-coloured brush head. She used a half a bottle of bleach to clean the bathroom and was clearly germ phobic. I gathered she thinks gay men are disease vectors.

One night we all went to a concert and had a meal afterwards in a cafe. John started insulting me in front of everyone. When John molested me, he pretty much gave up the right to insult me. Jane detected my distress and grilled me, as she was prone to do. Jane was a busy-body who did not respect personal boundaries. I explained that John insulted me. Jane told me I was over-reacting. I explained that John does not get to insult someone he molested, that everything is context-dependent and she didn't understand the context. Jane immediately sided with John and treated me like a crazy liar. She is a "molestation denier", in league with Holocaust deniers, as far as I'm concerned. We had a house meeting and I confronted my assailant, John, who denied molesting me, of course. It soon became apparent that his alcoholism had given him chronic amnesia and he couldn't remember what he did last night, let alone several months prior when the molestation occurred. I wanted him to leave the house but he had nowhere to go so he agreed to go to AA meetings instead and I let him stay until he could find alternate accommodation. He resisted going to the meetings but eventually did and came to enjoy them. Finally he admitted step 1: that he WAS an alcoholic.

Last Monday, I woke up and realised that Jane had moved out, and had taken Dave, John, and Matthew with her. They had obviously packed their bags and sneaked out in the middle of the night. She even took Matthew (28) the "fly-in fly-out" geologist who lived in the 5th bedroom, who I used to drive to the airport every fortnight at 4:30am, for no charge (a 1hr round trip). Jane had come into my life and left two months later with every single one of my housemates - they were like family to me - after offering them rooms at much lower rent than what they were paying me. (Of course, with me, they got a beautiful house full of furniture plus a housekeeper & gardener.) Jane left owing me over $700. John the molester left owing me $1500. I was glad to see the back of Jane and John, but why did my good friend Dave have to go with them? They had obviously been hatching the getaway plan right from after the house meeting when I confronted my assailant. In the last two weeks, while they were hatching their plan, Dave watched me mend his clothes and said nothing, humiliating me in front of Jane. He let me book and pay for ballet tickets at $95 each. He let me book a holiday to Japan. I realise that Jane had a lot of jealousy of me because even though I was 8 years older, I have a wonderful husband and son, and all of the things that she lacks. Jane is narcissistic, deceptive, manipulative, jealous and destructive.
IS JANE A SOCIOPATH?
They moved out 9 days ago, but Matthew has already moved out of their new house!
2. IS IT NORMAL FOR MY GAY DOCTOR FRIEND(?)TO MOVE OUT WITH THE ALCOHOLIC WHO MOLESTED ME AND THE WOMAN WHO DENIED IT AND CALLED DAVE A PAEDOPHILE?
3. IS THAT KIND OF BETRAYAL NORMAL?
4. IS IT FORGIVABLE?
5. AM I TO BLAME BY CONFRONTING MY ASSAILANT AND THUS DESTABILISING OUR HOME LIFE?
The day after they all left, I went to the police and reported the molestation and John is being charged. That made me feel better and less like a victim.
6. IS IT NORMAL THAT MY SELF-ESTEEM IS SHATTERED?

Voting Results
38% Normal
Based on 16 votes (6 yes)
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Comments ( 26 )
  • MUCH too long-winded. Consider doing some revising if you expect anyone to read it.

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  • kelili

    So to make a long story short you have been abused by your lodgers in every kind of way. It's too late now but you should have reacted faster. You should never have let the story go this far. It's your house and you make the rules. Where was your husband during all this time? It's a lesson to be learnt.

    I don't fully believe. Excuse if it's a true story

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    • iezegrim

      I appreciate that you took the time to read my 7,000 words and comment but I asked if it was normal for people to experience that kind of betrayal in their lifetime. I am fully aware of the mistakes I made and I won't be making them again, obviously. That said, your opinion was very thoughtful, insightful, concise and intelligent and I appreciate it. Life is a learning experience and I am glad they're gone. My son is quite hurt by it, though. He's only 19. Where was my husband? As I said, my husband is always at work which one of the reasons why we got lodgers in in the first place. He's a senior partner in a nationwide law firm, and he's recovering from cancer (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia). The partners put a lot of pressure on each other to work horrendous hours. At home, he needs a lot of sleep because he's still recovering from his bone marrow transplant which was in 2008. He's still got Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) and probably will for the rest of his life. What motivation would I have to make up such a story? There is too much rich detail in the tapestry for it to be made up. Fiction is hollow.

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      • kelili

        If you decide to take other lodgers you should put some rules first and be firm. They should know who is the boss and where are their limits.

        With time you'll all get over this (the incident and your husband's recovery).

        Good luck:)

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        • iezegrim

          Thanks. You're cool. I've written up a 6 page legally-binding contract that they will have to sign if they want to move in.

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  • americanhoney

    What the fuck is this mess?

    Also, wigs is right.

    Day saved, I'm going on break.

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  • wigsplitz

    No wonder they left and shortchanged you! You're fucking crazy. This sounds like some reject episode of Judge Judy, or the beginning to some failed murder plot akin to Arsenic and Old Lace.

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    • iezegrim

      1. The word "crazy" is one of those nebulous words that has a different meaning for everyone who uses it. It's used by those who are not very bright to describe people they don't understand. The experts in the area of mental health - psychiatrists and psychologist - don't use the word "crazy", which says it all. But you do which indicates that you don't know much about what you are proffering an opinion in.
      2. This site is not a place to abuse others who bare their souls, it's for giving opinions on whether a behaviour is normal or not. It's a consensus site. You cowardly hide behind your anonymity and go around abusing people online, who you don't know, who have already been through a very difficult time, so by your own assessment, does that make YOU "crazy"? Is that constructive use of your valuable time, or don't you have meaningful activities in your life or a job?
      3. If I was schizophrenic (as I assume you mean by the word "crazy"), is shortchanging me the appropriate treatment, or would medication be more suitable? BTW, I have since extracted payment out of each of them by visiting their workplaces thus making them feel uncomfortable in front of their colleagues. So now I'm the big winner here because I have new lodgers, a pocket full of money, and the wisdom of experience.
      4. Arsenic and Old Lace is a story of actual murder so did you read what I wrote or is there some other story going on inside your head? You have to stop listening to the voices inside your head!
      5. So you watch reject episodes of Judge Judy. Where do you get these reject episodes, given they don't get on TV (because they're "rejects"? LOL). Where do you get the time to watch C-grade TV? (as opposed to B-grade, which would be the "non-rejected" episodes of Judge Judy.) Who watches Judge Judy anyway? The way she behaves is an embarrassment to the legal profession. Do you think that's how real judges behave? Ha ha.
      6. My verdict: You're a scream. A real laugh. At your own expense, because you clearly don't realise how subintellectual you are. You are very funny.

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      • robbieforgotpw

        Who takes the time to type a book on this site?

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      • wigsplitz

        1. Your point is?

        2. Yes, it's normal for your roommates to escape your insanity in the dark of night and try to take everything they can from you as payback for having to deal with you.

        3. Oh, so you're crazy AND a stalker? See ya in a few weeks when your new lodgers sneak out on ya.

        4. "Failed" murder plot...they left before you could poison their elderberry wine.

        5. "Sounds like" a reject episode, it's not that hard to imagine that they tape bum episodes and this "sounds like" one.

        6. To quote the great Popeye, 'I am what I am'

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        • iezegrim

          For three men and a woman to escape a "crazy" female, they need only walk out the front door in the middle of the day. Instead, I got my money back and they ended up paying for two weeks rent that they didn't use. So the smart thing would have been, give me two weeks notice, then move out. It doesn't seem normal to lose $2,500 when you could just walk out and lose no money. Normal people give notice and then move out having lost no money.
          Also, why have you been so nasty right off the bat? What did I ever do to you to deserve that? All you know of me is 7,000 characters.
          Is this your idea of leisure - go online and insult people who are having a hard time already?
          Why can't you go and volunteer at a charity instead with all your leisure time? That's what I've done, many times. I recommend it because the people that you work with - the other charity workers - are so inspirational.

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          • wigsplitz

            Look, it's the impression I got from reading that novel you wrote. The content AND the length screamed 'I'm bonkers'. You wanted opinions. Or, wait, did you want pity and only opinions that flattered you?

            Did they give you cash or a check? If they gave you a check for the money, don't get too excited until the check clears.

            Normal people in a NORMAL situation give notice, but if weird shit is going on, that changes things. 4 people don't 'normally' all get together and slip out for NO reason whatsoever.

            What you call a 'hard time' to me is nothing, it's a minor setback if anything, and one that you probably had a hand in creating. You're crying 'abuse' and 'molestation', which pisses me off because there's people who suffer REAL abuse and molestation and you're insulting them by passing off your petty baloney as this horrific travesty. It's a small claims court issue, that's IT. Get over it.

            Don't concern yourself with what I do in my leisure time.

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            • iezegrim

              No one uses cheques in Australia anymore. By your spelling of "cheque" I can see that you're American. Probably a Republican and you lost the election. Boo hoo. Cheques are old technology. The money came through into my bank account. $AUD2,500. Plus I'm getting another $389 soon. Also, it is legal to go to someone's work for the purpose of debt collection if you don't know their home address. That's what debt collectors do. Your definition of stalking is like your definition of crazy - whatever you make up at the time. I actually like arguing with you because you're smart enough to write English legibly but you're so easy to shoot down with logic. I don't get MUCH satisfaction from it because you're not that bright but I do get some. In real life, you and I would never meet because we're clearly from two different worlds. Do you live in the Ozarks with your wife, who is also your sister? What do you do for a living - distil moonshine? You're so funny and primitive. I'm sure you're a Republican. You're probably in the midst of planning to bomb the local abortion clinic.

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            • iezegrim

              Have a look at the top of your screen, directly above the title of the website. It says "We're here to help each other. Play Nice!"
              If you don't want to play by the rules, why don't you go elsewhere?

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        • iezegrim

          Whatever.

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  • Sailor_Cosmos

    Sorry to hear you were sexually assaulted and I hope you're ok and that you get help to get over it...as for the rest of the story these people seem like assholes and weren't real friend so just forget them and move on.

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    • iezegrim

      Thanks. You've made me feel a bit better.

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      • Sailor_Cosmos

        Glad you feel better :)

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  • shade_ilmaendu

    It shouldn't be normal, but it happens far too often. :/ People are selfish, and when they're not they forget easily how much others do for them.

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  • Bubbles-for-life

    I saw the length and stopped reading :/

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  • they wiped their feet on the doormat on the way out, i skipped a few words here and there but is this basically it? if it is dont be a doormat , if its not well i dont know i'm sure

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    • iezegrim

      It is. I guess I was a doormat.

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  • iezegrim

    YOU read it :-) I want to know whether that kind of betrayal is normal, not how verbose I am :-) I already know that I am too verbose. I am a woman, after all. We like to talk. IIN has a limit of 7,000 characters (which I had to stick to) so I guess they're the arbiter of what is considered too long. It was originally 10 times longer but I had to omit some salient facts in order to chop it down. I wouldn't know how to abridge it any further. As it is, Kelli found it hard to believe that it was a true story and that was with 7,000 characters of rich detail! It's the detail that brings life to a personal account. Without that, it rings hollow and implausible. Maybe I've posted on the wrong site, but that's another issue. I like this site and I believe it serves a very important function. It fills a gap that desperately needs filling because people, particularly teenagers, can feel very isolated -- unnecessarily so.

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