So I started this series back in early February, I knew going into it that there was going to be a lot of talk about SA and as a survivor myself I'd need to take my time with it. While my trauma is very different from Auren's it still gets hard to read at times but its been really helpful in my healing process and watching her start to come into herself has been inspiring. (before anyone asks yes I'm seeing an actual therapist and not just living vicariously through smut novels)
A couple days ago I got to the part where Auren goes to Slade's room and he finds her there sniffing his pillow, haha funny right? Well then she spills her whole life story, I'm crying, she's crying, everyone's crying but Slade. It feels like he doesn't really even acknowledge the fact that she has some severe sexual trauma, glosses over it, and then asks her to drop her pants...everything after is consensual so whatever I guess but I just can't help but feel icky about it. It just doesn't feel like the trauma she shared with him was handled with the care and respect she deserved and he was way too dominant at least for my comfort after a confession like that. The whole scene after she spills her heart out just felt out of place to me. I'm not even saying that the night couldn't have ended similarly it just felt intensely overwhelming to have the vibe shift so dramatically so quickly and even just him not allowing her control of the intimacy and being so domineering over her was a lot for me. Even just switching this with the second time they are intimate would have been an improvement imo.
Just curious how other people feel about it and maybe you have a perspective or interpretation I'm missing but I just feel like this could have been done better.