I have read a lot of stories on this portal. Having gone through them, I feel they are very relatable. They gave me some kind of solace… that I’m not alone… that my worries and fears exist. And most importantly, it’s not just my mind playing tricks on me.

Speaking out, sharing our thoughts, and knowing that others have been in similar situations… gives me the support I never imagined I would have. 

So, I’m here to share my story with you. 

I’ve had an arranged love marriage with someone who comes from the same community as I do. Since I had lost my father at a young age, I thought that I would look at my in-laws as my parents. 

But over time, my father-in-law began behaving differently. He used to say or do things that made me feel that there was something very wrong with him.

I would always speak to and approach him respectfully, but he never saw it or treated me with the same respect from the beginning. If I had to sum it up, he was a narcissistic pervert. 

He would suddenly burst into my room or worse, my bathroom and pretend that he had some urgent work, or needed to use the bathroom and all others were occupied. I realised I had to change his behaviour or say something when one day, he tried to take off his pants in front of me, and another time, I caught him trying to watch me when I was getting dressed. 

I never knew what to say or how to stop this from happening, but I knew that it had to stop. I couldn’t have him behave like this in front of my children, the maids, their kids, or anyone, really. 

I tried talking to my husband when I noticed how he would stare at the children or maids inappropriately, but he shrugged it off, saying that I was overthinking it and that his father would never behave like this. He even tried to suggest that it was “old age”! 

I maintained my distance from him and tried to keep his eyes away from all around too. One day, he even started reading weird books with images that were just not appropriate. I even warned him when I saw him reading those books near my children. 

And that’s when I knew that I had to do something. It’s been fifteen years now, since my marriage in this house, and thankfully, now my son is grown up, and he sees this behaviour and knows that it isn’t something that’s on my mind only. He calls our on his grandfather’s weird behaviour too. 

I’ve stopped talking or interacting with him now and always avoid his gaze. I know that he won’t change, and it’s too late for him. All I can do is neglect and ignore him otherwise, he will steal my peace of mind for the years ahead too. 

I pictured such a beautiful and happy life with my in-laws, but what I got is absolutely far from it!