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 Joelles experienceJoelle says ‘I wished I never said anything … I was being punished for telling’
Joelle was disbelieved by staff at school and ostracised by other pupils when she reported sexual abuse by a teacher.
Joelle was 12 years old when a teacher at her school started grooming her. He went on to sexually abuse her over the following two years.
read full account of Haris experienceHari feels strongly that when victims and survivors come forward, they should be treated with respect
Hari was sexually abused when he was seven or eight years old, by the headmaster of his school.
He reported the abuse many years later, but felt let down by the response from the police.
read full account of Ninas experienceHaving endured a lifetime of abuse and hardship, Nina’s main concern is the welfare of her two sons
Nina says she was born into a ‘complicated’ family environment which was never able to provide the care and support she deserved. Her mother married a man from overseas and Nina was subjected to racial abuse throughout her childhood. After their home was firebombed, they moved to a council house.
Nina’s mother had been abused herself; she suffered from depression and was very unstable. When Nina was a baby her mother put her into foster care for a time as she couldn’t cope. Her older brothers also spent time in care. Two of Nina’s brothers spent some time in a Catholic-run care home where they were physically and sexually abused, returning home with injuries.
read full account of Mias experienceMia was sexually abused by her cousin and groomed by an older man, becoming pregnant as a young teenager
Mia’s parents divorced when she was young, and she lived with her mother. But later, rejection by her mother and stepfather led Mia into a chaotic life, abuse by an older man and pregnancy as a young teenager.
After the divorce, an older cousin would babysit Mia when her mother went out, and on these occasions would share her bed.
read full account of Eloras experienceElora says ‘I don’t like the word victim … you’re a survivor and you should be proud of yourself’
After Elora’s father died, a teacher took advantage of her grief, and emotionally and sexually abused her.
As an adult, she found the strength to report him and bring him to justice.
read full account of Livs experienceLiv says when she was a child, ‘I would do anything to get someone to care for me’
Liv experienced sexual abuse by two different women and one man, all of whom were supposed to care for her.
She felt abandoned when she left the care system with no support, at the age of 16.
read full account of Sheryls experienceSheryl says ‘I learned not to ask for help because it made things worse’
When her father started sexually abusing her, Sheryl developed an eating disorder and repeatedly ran away from home.
None of the professionals she encountered asked her the right questions, or acted on what she told them.
read full account of Nathans experienceNathan asks ‘Why did nobody think “Why is this grown man going on holiday with these kids?”’
Nathan was born in the 1970s to a Catholic family. He was stalked, intimidated and sexually abused by the parish priest.
As an adult, he reported the abuse to the church, but was told the priest was no longer a threat as he was in a retirement home.
read full account of Minnies experienceWhen Minnie told a Brownie leader she was being sexually abused, she was told off for being ‘rude’
Minnie was raped multiple times by her stepfather.
He convinced her she had a terminal illness and claimed that sexually abusing her would ‘cure’ her.
read full account of Chesters experienceA television interview with a survivor of sexual abuse triggered distressing memories for Chester
Chester was sexually abused when he was 11, by a Scout leader.
He buried memories of the abuse for more than 30 years and spoke about it in detail for the first time when he came to the Truth Project.
read full account of Charlies experienceCharlie wants people to be aware that sexual abuse can occur anywhere that men have access to children
As a child Charlie had a hobby he loved.
But this put him in contact with a group of adult men who used their power to sexually abuse him and other boys.
read full account of Graceys experienceGracey says when she heard her schoolmates talking about sex, ‘I realised I knew too much’
Gracey was seen as her father’s ‘favourite’ child in the family.
But the reality that lay behind this was that he was singling her out for sexual abuse.