A woman has been left feeling "sickened" and "betrayed" after her husband of three decades confessed to a long-held secret fetish that involves several of her closest loved ones.
A Devastating Confession After 30 Years
The couple, who have been married for 30 years, were having a heart-to-heart conversation when the husband made a shocking admission. He revealed that for years, he had been stealing used underwear from the woman's female family members and friends.
The wife, who sought advice anonymously in 2020 using the pseudonym "Panty Thief", explained the situation to Slate.com's sex advice column, How to Do It. She wrote that while she had always known about her husband's underwear fetish and was accepting of it, this new revelation crossed a serious line.
"I Feel Disgusted and Inadequate"
The distraught wife detailed the profound emotional impact of her husband's actions. Beyond the feelings of betrayal and disgust, she was also grappling with a sense of personal inadequacy.
"I'm sickened by it, and feel today disgusted, betrayed, and inadequate. What is wrong with him?" she wrote in her plea for help. Her world was shaken not only by the breach of trust within her marriage but by the violation of her wider social circle.
Expert Advice: "This Is Really Not OK"
The agony aunt responding to the letter was unequivocal in their assessment, stating: "This is really not OK." They emphasised that the owners of the stolen items would be deeply upset if they knew what had happened.
The advisor reassured the woman that her intense emotional reaction was completely natural given the circumstances. They urged her to engage in a deeper, more serious conversation with her husband and strongly recommended seeking professional guidance from a counsellor or a trusted confidante to navigate the fallout.
The case serves as a stark reminder of how concealed behaviours, even within long-standing relationships, can surface with devastating consequences, threatening the very foundation of trust and respect.
