October 27th 2024.
As I worked out in front of my personal trainer at the gym, he suddenly stepped back and said, "That's what you do to me." I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable, especially when I noticed he had an erection. He then proceeded to put his hand down his pants, wipe his pre-cum on his hand, and then wipe it on me. It was disgusting and it happened more than once. He even went to the extent of excusing himself to the bathroom, only to come back and blame me for his arousal. I was too shocked and under his control to say anything, despite the fact that there were always other people around us at the gym.
This happened about two years ago, but the memories still haunt me. It all started when I began looking for a new personal trainer in 2021 after my previous one moved away. I weighed around 22 stone at the time, but had lost almost 10 stone over the years and wanted to start toning up. I found a personal trainer who specialized in bodybuilding and owned a family-run gym. Little did I know that this man would go on to abuse me.
I started training with him four times a week in October 2021. At first, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, other than his different approach compared to my previous trainer. Instead of writing everything down and setting targets for me, he never did any of that. I just brushed it off, thinking it was a different style of training. However, as we trained, he would often encourage me to open up about my relationship with my partner, which wasn't going well at the time. He knew I was in a vulnerable place and he took advantage of that.
The messages started around Christmas 2021, with him asking me how I looked in my Christmas dresses. I found it strange and didn't want to share them with anyone. I had five children and didn't want to give the wrong impression. I thought maybe it was just his way of joking around. Little did I know, it wasn't a joke. I feel quite naive when it comes to how men can talk to women, as I haven't had many partners and mostly kept to myself and my children.
Around this time, the touching also began. He would lean over me in a way that his hand would brush against me while changing my weights. His messages also started to become more inappropriate, with him complimenting my changing figure. In February 2022, he even told me he thought there was something between us. I didn't feel the same way and tried to distance myself, but it was difficult because he had already gained control over me.
He made me believe that if I stopped training with him, I would gain all the weight back. He would say things like, "You'll never find anyone as good as me," and I would go back to my old self. He had complete control over me and I was too vulnerable to see it. We only met at the gym, where he held all the power, and he even controlled what I wore. He would tell me he liked me in black shorts, so I would wear black shorts.
In May 2022, he took me to a side room and confessed his feelings for me. I was in shock and didn't know how to react. I left feeling confused and questioning what had just happened. Shortly after, he dropped the L-bomb and said he loved me. I tried to remind him that he was married, but by then, he had taken over my entire mind. All I could think about was going to the gym, working out, and being with him.
It wasn't until Victim Support reached out to me that I realized the severity of the situation. They offer support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Looking back, I realize that he had complete control over me and I was too vulnerable to see it. He manipulated and took advantage of my trust in him. I hope by sharing my story, I can help prevent this from happening to anyone else.
The memories of that time still haunt me, even though it was two years ago. I was looking for a new personal trainer after my first one moved away, and that's when I met him. He seemed like a perfect fit - specializing in bodybuilding and working at a family-run gym. Little did I know, he would go on to abuse me in ways I never could have imagined.
It started innocently enough, with him encouraging me to open up about my relationship troubles while we trained. Looking back, I realize I was in a vulnerable place and he knew that. But at the time, I just thought he was being a supportive trainer. It wasn't until Christmas rolled around that things started to feel off. He would send me strange messages about my appearance in my holiday dresses and I couldn't understand why. I brushed it off as maybe just a joke, but it wasn't long before his behavior turned more serious.
I remember the first time he touched me inappropriately - leaning over me to change my weights and his hand brushing against me. I was taken aback, but I didn't say anything. I'm not sure why, but looking back, I think it was because he had total control over me at that point. He had convinced me that I would never find another trainer as good as him and that if I stopped training with him, I would gain all the weight back.
It wasn't long before he started crossing even more boundaries. He would put his hand down his pants, wipe his pre-cum on his hand, and then wipe it on me. The thought of it still makes me sick to my stomach. And then there were the messages - telling me how beautiful I looked and how my figure was changing. I didn't know how to respond, and I definitely didn't want to share them with anyone. I was a mother of five and I didn't want to give anyone the wrong impression.
Despite my reservations, he continued to push our relationship further. He kissed me in a side room at the gym and told me he loved me. I was shocked and tried to remind him that he was married, but he had already taken over my mind. All I could think about was getting to the gym, working out, and being with him. He had complete control over me, and I was too afraid to break away.
It wasn't until later that I realized the full extent of his manipulation and abuse. He had convinced me that I needed him - that without him, I would never reach my fitness goals. But now, after everything that happened, I can see that he was just using me for his own pleasure. And I'm still living with the trauma and pain of those experiences.
If you or someone you know has experienced rape or sexual abuse, please reach out to Victim Support at 0333 300 6389. They offer support and resources for survivors and are there to help you in any way they can. As for me, I'm still working on healing and moving on. But I will never forget what he did to me and the power he had over me in that gym.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
