2. Victims and survivors wanted to help protect children. Fifty-four percent of Truth Project participants shared their experiences of child sexual abuse to help prevent it from happening to someone else. Farida said: “I need to help other people so they don’t go through what I did”.^[1] Natalia described the sense of meaning that sharing her experience gave her: “I don’t want my life to count for nothing. I don’t want no other boy or girl to go through what I did”.^[2] RS-A299 said:

“I want to somehow represent people that didn’t have a voice, that weren’t considered … I want to protect the people that it potentially could happen to in the future.”^[3]

RS-A299, Residential schools investigation

3. Victims and survivors hoped that sharing their experiences would “educate people”, so that the public are “aware this goes on”.^[4] Alf said: “I just wanted to get my story out … to illustrate how violence and sexual abuse can affect a child and what to look out for”.^[5] AR-A24 hoped things would change:

“It may be too late for me, although I will never give up. I do, however, hope that the situation will change, particularly for those who have not yet disclosed. I hope that they will be listened to, properly supported during the disclosure process, and have access to thorough investigations”.^[6]

AR-A24, Accountability and reparations investigation