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 Samuels experienceSamuel’s family were part of a religion where everything was about control, manipulation and gratification
Samuel was born into a religious organisation, which he describes as a cult, that subjected him to sexual, physical and mental abuse.
He says the organisation focused selectively on parts of the Bible concerning discipline and, in his opinion, took this to the extreme. He describes life as ‘harsh’ for him and the other children in the religious group.
read full account of Mildreds experienceMildred feels strongly that sexual abuse is no less significant because it is ‘historic’
Mildred was sexually abused by a schoolteacher in the 1950s.
Her report was not taken seriously at the time, and she says the response was the same when she reported it decades later.
read full account of Kathryns experienceThe psychiatrist who sexually abused Kathryn was later convicted of multiple offences
Kathryn attempted suicide because of the abuse she suffered at home.
The medical professional who should have helped her, sexually abused her.
read full account of Seths experienceSeth has a supportive partner who encouraged him to share his experience with the Truth Project
For his entire childhood, Seth was subjected to an ordeal of sexual, physical and emotional abuse by adults in different institutions.
He became so conditioned to being abused that he saw rape as a usual form of ‘punishment’.
read full account of Violas experienceViola felt completely isolated: the only people in her life physically and sexually abused her
After her parents separated, Viola’s life descended into chaos.
She came to the attention of the police and social services several times, but was not protected from sexual and physical abuse.
read full account of Annas experienceAnna feels people with mental health difficulties face the view that their testimony is not reliable
Anna was born at the end of the 1950s. She had a range of physical and developmental difficulties, including problems with hearing and speech which made it difficult to express herself.
She experienced a catalogue of abuse, in the family home and in psychiatric institutions. She now works as an advocate for vulnerable people.
read full account of Micahs experienceMicah’s social worker was worried about her, but was not allowed to make extra visits to check on her
When Micah was eight years old, she and her brother were taken to a children’s home and then placed with foster parents.
‘I thought they were going to love us and care for us, but they didn’t’ she says.
read full account of Alexs experienceAlex would like to see a ‘consent culture’ taught in schools
Note: Alex asked to be referred to as 'they' for personal reasons.
Alex describes a ‘terrible time’ during childhood with an abusive mother and stepfather and sexual assaults at school.
read full account of Llewellyns experienceFor years after he was sexually abused, Llewellyn thought there was something wrong with him
Llewellyn describes how he doesn’t trust because so many people have not believed his account of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child. He says: ‘The experience has toughened me up’.
He adds: ‘It has messed up my life a little bit … I kept it secret for good reason’.
read full account of Skyes experienceYears after she was abused, Skye feels she is drawn to abusive relationships
Skye was sexually assaulted by a soldier when she was a teenager.
Neither the police nor the army took any action against the perpetrator.
read full account of Eladons experienceEladon says ‘I lived a life of fear, fear, fear and angst’
Eladon is of Romany heritage. He says this identity is important to him, but he has suffered abuse and discrimination because of it.
Eladon’s father was extremely violent to his mother and was sent to prison. Eladon was taken into care when he was a small baby.
read full account of Alistairs experienceAlistair is determined his children will have the childhood that was taken from him
Alistair grew up in the countryside and describes his childhood as ‘idyllic’ but marred by a single incident of abuse.
He describes how he was unable to tell anyone what had happened and how it troubled him for many years, before he spoke to the Truth Project.