Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Philippa Perry

My big brother used to beat me up. Now I’m scared of being loved

‘It is healthy that you have estranged yourself from your brother – a network of friends can provide emotional support and companionship.’
‘It is healthy that you have estranged yourself from your brother – a network of friends can provide emotional support and companionship.’ Photograph: Tony Watson/Alamy

The question My parents are both deceased. I have an older brother and neither of us have partners or kids. From when we were very young all the way through to adulthood, my brother regularly beat me up. My parents saw nothing sinister in it and said it was just normal rough play between boys, but I strongly disagreed. Eventually, the physical abuse stopped, but emotional abuse continued and he criticised everything about me, including my appearance, what I was doing with my life, and my partners. My parents never challenged him and even suggested I deserved it.

After my parents died, my brother was adamant he wanted a continued relationship with me. He has no partner or family of his own and has never sought one. The one-way flow of criticism in our relationship did not stop, so eventually I ceased all contact with him.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.