:) Watered Garden
I love that story as well ~! As it should be, eh?
Again, this subject, certainly between a man and women considering marriage and perhaps more so if one is in a ministering position, they have to talk to each other.
Before they dress up for a wedding.
I think I can understand why a woman might not tell her betrothed about child hood sexual abuse, even if I find it dangerous that she doesn't. If she can't trust him, then who? Sadly, I understand that, again as a realist, that's so not the case in the majority.
I also am easy to understand if he's a minister or their plans are that he will be in short order. Would it be easy for her to assume that when and if she does get the courage to tell him, he'd obviously understand, point no fingers at her and help her heal? I think it would, especially given our cultural "but he's here in God's stead" thinking. She might think she's safe, whenever she tells him.
If the sexual part of their marriage is suffering as perhaps a result of her memories, but she can't tell him, all he's got is his imagination and fears; and if he asks her "what's wrong" but gets "nothing" in response but something clearly is.........
And, one might suggest, that is the time, eventually that he (minister or not) might justify his own actions of finding someone who will share so fully with him.
And then made worse if she has all those old and crusty beliefs that 'he's a minister and has needs'.
Blech