This Hungarian gem is a criminally underrated drama that explores a poignant incestuous relationship between an estranged brother and sister. The film possesses a dark tone that reflects the unusual relationship between its characters, but it doesn’t tend to exploit the provocative nature of the story. There’s a sense of lurking danger felt throughout the movie, but the way it portrays its characters and their relationship make us empathize with them rather than trying to put us off with blatant emotional manipulation. You speak of mutual attraction… Well maybe to you this would feel sordid, but to me, maybe not. Maybe you read my case, which is posted above, maybe you misunderstood how and why I ended up in a [consenting] sexual relationship with my mother ? It wasn;t a deliberate act, nor was it the work of one party over the other… These things just happen sometimes, right or wrong… And as time passses we regret them yes, but I can NOT bring myself to find it sordid or distressing. Our emotional intimate relationship began one night, when I did hear sobbing in her room. she was already in bed, when I came in into Boys are less traumatized by sexual abuse than girls, and this is because boys are more sex-focused in general. Todd Haynes’‘Carol’ is quite simply one of the most beautiful films about what it feels like to fall in love. These are two people dying to fall in each other’s arms, yearning for a sense of emotional liberation from the clutches of a cold society. Therese is a shy young girl who isn’t happy with her boyfriend. Carol is a wealthy, middle-aged mother on the verge of a divorce. These are two people in different phases of life, from different strata of society, but the world around them is cold and indifferent to their feelings and desires, and that is when they meet. With an amazing cast and a nuanced script, Haynes crafts a timeless story of love so full of warmth and humanity.

Friedersdorf, C. (2016, November 28). The understudied female sexual predator. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/the-understudied-female-sexual-predator/503492 With the help of my mommy friends, I created this little intimate photography project just in time for Mother’s day, to remind everyone what motherhood really looks like. Some might find these interesting pictures raw, but that's how it is in real life.

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When people say European cinema, the names most often mentioned are Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Jean Luc-Godard, Luis Bunuel, Michael Haneke, and so on and so forth. But Krzysztof Kieslowski‘s name is often sadly overlooked, and in my humble opinion, he’s right up there with the aforementioned greats as one of the finest auteurs European cinema has ever produced. He had this ability to get so deeply personal and intimate that it leaves you soaked in a plethora of emotions. Although the idea that some fathers can be sexual predators towards their own family is accepted, the parallel idea, that mothers can be sexual predators towards their own children, has not been widely accepted. We live in a culture that tends to idolize motherhood. Mothers sacrifice so much to give us everything we need. In our society, speaking against a mother is almost sacrilegious. Unfortunately, the perception of a male monopoly on perpetrating incest has led to the creation of damaging myths that silence the male victim. Thanks for your input, an interesting point of view leading me to question the so called sanctity of motherhood. For me, for many like me, motherhood is not something I can take to be sacred or saintly. There are 7bn people on the earth, on average half of them are women… not all of them are going to be good people, balanced people or people who fit into any one other persons world view of right or wrong. That night was the beginning of our relationship, it was emotional first; but, it progressed into sexual shortly after.

Kelly, R. J., Wood, J. J., Gonzalez, L. S., MacDonald, V., & Waterman, J. (2002). Effects of mother-son incest and positive perceptions of sexual abuse experiences on the psychosocial adjustment of clinic-referred men. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26(4), 425-441. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12092807 Arguably the most controversial film on the list, ‘Ma Mere’ is easily the most disturbing and unwatchable film about incest ever made. The film features the great Isabelle Huppert playing an incestuous mother obsessed with sex who asks her son to have sex with her. They make violent love as Helene asks her son to physically hurt her by cutting her abdomen, and as his masturbation reaches its climax, she slits her own throat. The film is blatantly provocative and, for the most part, plain unwatchable, but you just fail to take your eyes off of an explosive Isabelle Huppert, who is in top form here. My diet plan when I’m home alone consists of only allowing myself to eat what my kids have left over or dropped on the floor. Mmm secondhand turkey bacon.Lucetta Thomas reported that after her story of mother-son sexual abuse aired on ABC 80, males accessed the online survey over the next two days to report maternal abuse and requested to be interviewed. It must be understood that this type of abuse is possible, does happen, and can do extraordinary damage to its victims. Most people dismiss ‘ The Reader‘ as a mediocre, Oscar-bait drama that’s nothing more than a skin show. But I, for one, love the film. It’s deeply flawed and may come off as a bit of a drag at times but just too beautiful and humane to dismiss. The film depicts the complex sexual relationship between a teenage kid and a woman in her mid-30s. Kate Winslet is stunning in her role as a woman struggling to deal with her inner demons and deeply torn by her shameful past. Watch it for its delicate rendering of humanity.

Researcher Lucetta Thomas has identified persistent and damaging myths in regard to male sexual victimization. These myths not only exist in the minds of boys and men who themselves are victims—they are also prevalent in the attitudes and perception of social workers, law enforcement, and even psychologists or counselors (Friedersdorf, 2016). Myths around males and sexual abuse include the following: When we examine outcomes of victims of any type of incest, we find this type of abuse is related to issues around relational trauma and betrayal trauma. Abuse by a trusted family member leads to a significant loss of trust and changes in beliefs around the self and safety in relationships (Kluft, 2011). Understandably, when the perpetrator is a mother, the trauma is likely to carry a particularly high level of damage, especially in light of the cultural perceptions of mothers as nurturers. Furthermore, the implications of reporting abuse of this nature can be catastrophic for the victim, the mother, and the entire family. In many cases, this leaves the victim feeling as if he has no choice but to deal with the trauma in silence. What Professionals Need to Know The film follows Nadja (Sarah Nevada Grether), an aspiring ballerina with the scars to prove it. A masochistic pursuit at her dream career has left her body battered, a map of the tumultuous torture dancers withstand on a daily basis. Working now as a dancing instructor for children, rather than as the dancer she always wanted to be, she decides to visit the adult son she has been estranged from since he was a child. Mario (Emil von Schönfels), raised by his grandmother, is similarly focused on his physical form and the abuse it takes to earn the physique he craves. When Nadja shows up at Mario’s doorstep, it starts a relationship that is as sensitive as it is taboo-shattering. If you are a victim of any type of sexual abuse or assault, reach out to a therapist. There is no need to suffer in silence when help is available. If you are a victim of mother-son incest, clearly articulate your experiences to your therapist. The shame is not yours. As a society, our views of mothers as nurturers who would never willingly hurt their children may be so ingrained in our psyche that even trained psychologists can be uncomfortable entertaining the idea that sexual abuse can happen between a mother and her son (Osborne, 2015). Why the Silence?

Reporting incest and seeking professional help may be both shameful and difficult in any situation, but it can be even more difficult in the case of a mother. Often, the reaction will be complete rejection or disbelief. Unfortunately, the perception of a male monopoly on perpetrating incest has led to the creation of damaging myths that silence the male victim. Males and Sexual Abuse: The Myths Holmes, G. R., Offen, L., & Waller, G. (1997). See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil: Why do relatively few male victims of childhood sexual abuse receive help for abuse-related issues in adulthood?. Clinical Psychology Review, 17(1), 69-88. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9125368 Due to the refusal of boys and men to seek help or press charges against mothers who abuse them, it is nearly impossible to determine the prevalence of sexual abuse committed by mothers. However, a few studies offer surprising results and indicate the problem is more widespread than most people would assume. Lastly, if you yourself find such things distressing, I have to wonder how you came to be reading and posting in this forum ? My story is a little different than the rest of you; My mom and I, we began our intimate relationship when I was 15 y/o; but like everyone else in this forum; my case is different. because; I was the one who seduced her…