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 Nolans experienceNolan was troubled for many years that he was not ‘brave enough’ to report the man who abused him
Nolan has found strategies to help him cope with the effects of being sexually abused as a child.
He believes that research into paedophilia and treatments would be a better way to protect children than ‘witch hunts’.
read full account of Ramons experienceRamon says he is glad that attitudes to child sexual abuse have changed since it happened to him
Ramon was sexually abused by a known predator who was a leader in a first aid charity.
When he told the police a few years later, his father said he should have been ‘over it’.
read full account of Louies experienceThe man who abused Louie claimed that the boy’s parents had asked him to do it
Louie was sexually abused by a ‘respectable’ man who was trusted by his relatives.
It was years before Louie told anyone, and he worries that the abuser may have targeted other children.
read full account of Anitas experienceAnita was sexually abused by a relative. Justice was only done after many years and family discord
As a young child, Anita was regularly taken to visit her grandparents. On these visits, a family member would take her off to a different room and sexually abuse her.
She had a medical condition which meant that she was frequently in hospital. During one consultation she told the doctor that she ‘hurting down below’. Instead of reporting this, the doctor advised Anita’s mother to ‘blow on’ the parts that were sore. Anita’s mother thought that Anita was being ‘all dramatic’ and she continued to be taken to her grandparents’ home, where her family member would be.
read full account of Jesss experienceJess saw no point reporting the abuse she suffered, because no one ever helped her
Jess and her sister were sent to live in a children’s home and were both sexually abused there.
Tragically, her sister took her own life and Jess wants to share her experience to help more people understand the pain and harm that abuse causes.
read full account of Arnolds experienceArnold describes sexual abuse at his school as ‘institutionalised humiliation of new students’
Arnold attended a boarding school with military traditions in the early 1970s.
He was sexually abused, as were many other boys, and says that this was made to seem like a ‘normal induction’ at the school.
read full account of Annalises experienceThe police did not believe Annalise’s stepfather was abusing her, and he continued to rape her
Annalise’s parents separated when she was a baby. When she was nine years old, her mother married again.
Within a few weeks of the marriage, her stepfather, Finn, began to sexually abuse her.
read full account of Caradogs experienceCaradog’s old school would not acknowledge sexual abuse had taken place there
Caradog was sexually abused at his public school by other male pupils.
He feels more angry at the way the school responded when he reported this, than he does with the perpetrators.
read full account of Alinas experienceAll Alina wants is an apology from the church, but after 10 years she still hasn’t had one
Alina has lived for many years with the effects of being sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest.
She is also concerned about the way she was treated by the church when she reported the abuse.
read full account of Mylandras experienceMylandra says ‘I can’t believe I survived all this’
Mylandra’s childhood memories are of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The perpetrator was her father.
After many years of counselling, she feels she is rebuilding her life and finds solace in her family and helping others.
read full account of Joes experienceJoe blames himself for not fighting off the man who raped him in a custodial institution
Mistreated and neglected as a child at home, Joe committed a range of petty thefts, sometimes to feed himself. He built up a record of offences and was sent to a residential institution where his experience was very positive. He says ‘I absolutely adored it’.
Sadly, this respite from his difficult life ended when he was sent to a custodial institution. Joe relates how the day he arrived, he was given cleaning duties and told to clean the corridor.
read full account of Naras experienceNara thinks being known as a ‘naughty kid’ meant her school did not act to protect her from sexual abuse
When Nara was 11 years old, she told someone at school that her stepfather was sexually abusing her. She was warned not to abuse the ‘great power’ she had.
Nara grew up in the 1970s and 80s. Her parents were separated and she and her sibling lived with their mother. When Nara was eight years old, her mother married again.