They just wouldn't have anticipated it happening to you, is all. No parent wants to think that those things happen to their own children.

My son is 25, and I've offered to get him professional counseling many times over the past 10 years or so. He has friends, has had girlfriends. I've done all I can do. I won't nag him, short of reiterating when appropriate that I'm here to help him to seek help if he ever wants it.

My parents couldn't have anticipated that one of my older brother's friends would expose his genitals to me when I was 8. I knew it was wrong already. We can't warn our children about every possibility--all we can do is hope to pass on the principles we hope will protect them, and lead them to do the right thing.

Karen