These are some of the experiences of child sexual abuse shared with the Truth Project by victims and survivors. All names and identifying details have been changed.
Download a PDF sample of accountsread full account of Benjamins experienceBenjamin was abused by a man from church who ‘took away from me the life I would have had’
Benjamin attended a local church with his family and joined the choir when he was 10 years old.
Nicholas, an adult, attended the same church and was responsible for publishing the church magazine. Benjamin began to be aware that Nicholas would often be present in the vestry when the choir members were disrobing.
read full account of Tiffanys experienceTiffany says that writing about her experience of abuse is ‘the beginning of the road to freedom for me’
Throughout her childhood, Tiffany was sexually abused by her father.
He was a professional who worked with children and he was sacked after Tiffany reported the abuse as an adult, but she feels many signs of abuse were missed when she was a child.
read full account of Madisons experienceMadison says ‘I never wanted to go home ... it was supposed to be my refuge’
Madison was brought up in a large family as a Jehovah’s Witness.
She was physically and sexually abused by family members but the closed nature of their religion ensured there was no intervention from outside authorities.
read full account of Farleys experienceFarley says the man who abused him ‘groomed everybody ... the whole church and the community’
Farley grew up in a close family of church-goers.
He was sexually abused by an official in the church, a popular and friendly man who was liked and trusted in the community.
read full account of Evas experienceEva feels she was let down because she didn’t fit the stereotype of an abused child
Eva lived with her parents and older sibling, and describes her family as ‘respectable and middle class’.
She thinks this facade is the reason that many professionals missed the signs that she was being physically and sexually abused.
read full account of Kittys experienceKitty was scolded ‘We don’t like children who tell lies’ when she tried to report she had been abused
Kitty was an evacuee during the Second World War. She suffered cruelty and sexual abuse and was told she was a liar when she tried to report it.
She wants to deliver the message ‘Please, please, please believe little children’.
read full account of Osians experienceOsian says the impact of child sexual abuse can reverberate for years
Osian's experience of abuse involved the Catholic church.
From a young age, Osian felt he had a vocation to be a priest, and was encouraged in this by a relative. His family were all devout Catholics.
read full account of Paraics experienceParaic thinks there is often a connection between child sexual abuse and fundamental religious practice
Paraic was raped by a Sunday school teacher, who said that the abuse was ‘God’s work’.
When he told a teacher what was happening to him, he was caned.
read full account of Winneys experienceWinney didn’t understand at first that she was being groomed by predatory men
Winney’s troubled home life made her vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse.
She is now aiming to give other vulnerable girls a better start in life.
read full account of Phoebes experiencePhoebe was removed from home by social services, but then left vulnerable to extreme abuse
Phoebe’s father died when she was in her mid teens. Her mother drank heavily and was violent, so Phoebe was placed in care.
She was preyed on by an older man who at first seemed to her like a father figure, but he abused her and forced her into sex work.
read full account of Demis experienceDemi feels angry that information was not shared that could have stopped her being sexually abused
Demi was sexually abused first by the son of her mother’s partner, then the partner.
She later discovered he had been investigated for abusing his own daughter, but her mother was not warned about this.
read full account of Collins experienceCollin says ‘As a parent, you have responsibility to be aware and open about child sexual abuse’
Collin says that as a child, he was quite isolated and fearful of his stepfather.
He thinks this made him vulnerable to grooming and sexual abuse by a sports coach.