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 Reagans experienceReagan was sexually abused by the man she saw as a trusted father figure
Reagan was abused by her mother’s partner nearly every day for three years.
She feels very let down by the way this was handled by police and social services.
read full account of Gracies experienceGracie blames herself for being sexually abused because she ‘got involved’ with an older man
Soon after Gracie started her first job, she was seduced by her manager.
Over the following two years, he trafficked her for the purposes of sexual exploitation.
read full account of Genes experienceWhen asked to recall a happy childhood memory, Gene could not think of a single one
One of the many painful memories that Gene lives with is not feeling any affection from his mother, and the fact that she constantly went out.
This damaged him emotionally, and resulted in him being sexually abused by two of the people he was left with.
read full account of Alisons experienceNow in her 50s, at 14 Alison was pregnant by a care home staff member and tried to drown her own daughter
As an adult Alison has obtained a copy of her care file. She describes it as a ‘litany of failures’ and it contains information that supports her account of her experiences.
She was removed from her mother’s care as a toddler, having been found ‘wasting away’ in her cot; her father was in prison. From then, she experienced abuse from staff in the care system that culminated in her becoming pregnant after being raped.
read full account of Winifreds experienceWinifred believes that the family who adopted her took in foster children for money, not out of love
Winifred was adopted by a couple who fostered several more children.
She was subjected to sexual abuse by members of the family and also some of the fostered children.
read full account of Bernards experienceAs a young child, Bernard was sure he was being sexually abused because he had done something wrong
Bernard grew up in the 1960s with his parents, whom he loved and respected.
However, he explains that his mother suffered with poor health and his father was often away. For this reason, he did not feel he could tell them that he was being sexually abused.
read full account of Natashas experienceNatasha says ‘Abusers can be anybody. Mine was a babysitter and a man I called uncle’
Nathasha’s father was an alcoholic and during her childhood and adolescence she was concerned for her mother.
When her mother went on her weekly night out, the older girls who babysat for Natasha sexually abused her. A few years later, an older male neighbour did the same. Natasha did not tell her mother until many years later.
read full account of Jades experienceSexual abuse and indoctrination by Mormon church members caused Jade’s PTSD
Jade was brought up as a Mormon. She was sexually abused by male members of the church and by her mother and stepfather.
She was also subjected to emotional abuse by church members who asked her embarrassing and intimidating questions and pressurised her when she was pregnant.
read full account of Haileys experienceHailey’s family did not protect her from her abusive grandfather, nor did any authorities
When Hailey told her parents that her grandfather was sexually abusing her, her father beat her.
She told a teacher about the abuse, who reported it to the police, but no action was taken.
read full account of Amelias experienceAmelia has made a good life for herself since she was abused, but she would have liked more support
Amelia says she had a normal childhood, but when she was 14, she and some of her friends began meeting a group of older men who were in their 20s.
She enjoyed the attention of one of them, believing it was a romantic relationship that would lead to marriage. Her mother successfully intervened to stop the abuse.
read full account of Hamids experienceHamid was abused by an uncle, but at family gatherings, he had to pretend nothing had happened
Hamid grew up in a Muslim family with his mother, father and sister. His father was extremely violent and the family broke up.
Hamid, his mother and sister went to live with their extended family. This did not turn out to be a place of refuge for Hamid, because his cousin and his uncle sexually abused him.
read full account of Allegras experienceA priest ignored the distress that 11-year-old Allegra clearly showed when he abused her
Allegra was sexually abused by a priest for whom a relative of hers worked.
Allegra’s relative would take her to work, where she would sit quietly, reading or drawing.