He's my dad... and he's abused me forever!

diana will solve it! Write to Diana at diana@mid-day.com, or fax her on 24150009. You can also post letters to Dear Diana, Mid Day, Peninsula Centre, Dr S S Rao Road, opp Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012

Dear Diana,

Illustration/sameer pawar

I am 26 and have been married for a year now. My father is a big construction magnate. Since my early years, he'd throw me to people who he could something from.

Like wild dogs, they'd scratch my body in front of him, but he never cared for me. Once, for a UK construction tender, he kept me with au00a0 guy for two months.

I was brought home after he got the contract. I tried running away several times, but he'd drag me back and 'punish' me. I met my husband in Austria on an outing with my dad last year.

He is very nice. He loves me a lot and didn't even touch me for a month just to make me comfortable.When we had sex he was very very loving. I never experienced this before.

I feel guilty. Should I tell him or keep my silence about something my father did once after our marriage and sexually abused me. he could come around again. What should I do?

Ria

Dear Ria,

As long as your father is free do as he pleases, he will. Unless you go to court over this (and possibly throw away your marriage, social life in the bargain), he will keep doing it over and over again.

I doubt your husband will be able to help you out much without getting flak from his family.

The longer you keep this a secret, the lesser people are going to believe you put up with it this long.

And besides, just give instructions to your guards not to let your father in to your house in the first place.

What's stopping you, anyway?

Am I at risk?

Dear Diana,

I had sex with a call girl last week.. Is there any chance of getting HIV?

Rafeeq

Dear Rafeeq,

There's a very high risk of you contracting the virus as one of you will have had unprotected sex in the past with an infected partner that could make on of you the carrier. Get yourself checked just to be on the safe side.

A younger colleague is in love with me

Dear Diana,

I am a married working woman and have two children. A 24-year-old colleague knows all about me but still loves me. What should I do now? Can you solve my problem? Do we have a future together?

Padma

Dear Padma,

Giving up on a marriage because there's a younger guy waiting in the wings is always a bad idea. He could easily get bored of you. Besides, you have children that could help you stay rooted in this marriage. In any case, if your marriage ain't broken, why 'fix' it?

I need to get laid!

Dear Diana,

I'm a 16-year-old. I was involved with twou00a0 girls before. Their parents came to know and we had to break up. I watch porn and so am driven by lust to find a sexual partner.

A chat friend wants a one-night stand with me. Should I say yes? Also, I recently saw SMSes on my dad's phone that proves he's having an affair. I don't have the guts to tell my mom

Name withheld on request

Dear Friend,

Well, for one, you're too young to get laid. Anything you do now, will see you ending up in juvenile prison if you end up getting caught.u00a0 Also, if you tell your mom without getting to the bottom of the story, it could destroy your family. You could confront your dad privately if that helps.