The Belittling Con Man Who Took Everything: Rose’s Story
Rose grew up in abuse, built her own independence, and fell in love with a man who slowly took everything — her money, her confidence, and her sense of self. It’s a story of shame, financial abuse, coercive control, and reclaiming autonomy after years of manipulation.
In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Rose shares her journey of surviving childhood abuse, coercive control, and financial exploitation at the hands of a manipulative partner who quietly dismantled her autonomy.
Growing up, Rose endured sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and chronic betrayal from the very people meant to protect her. With no safe parent, no validation, and no protector, Rose learned to survive by becoming invisible, self-reliant, and emotionally self-contained — carrying shame that would later be weaponized against her.
As an adult, Rose built independence, financial stability, and a life of her own. But when she met a charismatic lawyer who quickly love-bombed her, he exploited her vulnerabilities, her longing for family, and her deeply conditioned tendency to people-please. What began as excitement and possibility slowly revealed itself as financial abuse, sexual coercion, emotional degradation, and relentless manipulation.
It’s a story of childhood trauma, shame, scapegoating, put downs, people pleasing, excuses, dangling carrots - shifting goal posts, breadcrumbs of attention, depression, exhaustion, verbal abuse, breakup threats, power dynamics, complying, self blame, victim hood, love bombing, financial abuse, future faking, goalpost shifting, trauma bonding, guilt manipulation, sexual coercion, post-separation abuse, legal intimidation, psychological collapse, suicidal ideation, rebuilding independence, and ultimately reclaiming autonomy.
Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation, physical abuse, sexual coercion and childhood sexual abuse.
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