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 Aidens experienceHaving been raped by his father, Aiden felt ‘fortunate’ when abuse by a teacher was not 'as horrific'
For as far back as he can remember, Aiden suffered serious abuse at the hands of his father. His mother developed a disability around the time he was born in the early 1960s, and his father blamed him for this. He says: ‘I was hated before I was born by him; I didn’t stand much chance.’
His father demonstrated his hatred and anger by savagely abusing Aiden and allowing other adults to abuse him too.
read full account of Billys experienceBilly is recovering from alcoholism which he feels sure was a result of the sexual abuse he suffered
When Billy was 10 years old, he joined a boys’ youth group and went on overnight trips with them.
The leader of the group sexually abused him, and Billy thinks it is likely this happened to other boys as well.
read full account of Curtiss experienceCurtis remembers how he felt when he was eight: ‘no one spoke a single kind word to me, ever’
Curtis spent almost his entire childhood in care, during the 1950s and 60s. As a young child he was moved from a residential nursery to a care home which he describes as ‘the most miserable place on the planet’.
Isolated from his family and not knowing what had happened to his mother, he faced years of physical and sexual abuse with no one to turn to.
read full account of Gemmas experienceGemma says ‘I’m the one who’s doing the life sentence, in a way’
Gemma had an exceptionally difficult childhood. Neglect and domestic violence occurred regularly in the family home, so much so that all her older siblings were placed into care.
Gemma’s mother had a mental mental illness and continued to neglect her youngest child until Gemma too was taken into care and fostered before she was two years old.
read full account of Denises experienceDenise was sexually abused by her family and in care, and failed by her school
Denise’s father was a violent man who was physically abusive towards her mother and her siblings. He played no part in her life after he was sent to prison when she was a baby.
After a period in care, Denise was returned home only to be abused by her mother’s new partner.
read full account of Rivers experienceRiver says ‘There comes a point when you look back and realise how you were affected’
After a family tragedy, River and his siblings were moved ‘from pillar to post’ around the care system.
He was abused in a children’s home and a foster home, and would like to see more careful checks made on all members of foster families.
read full account of Allisons experienceAllison was terrified into believing it was her responsibility not to disclose she was being abused
The church official who sexually abused Allison as a child applied further cruelty to ensure her compliance and her silence.
He said that if Allison’s relative, who took care of her, ever found out, they would have a heart attack and it would be Allison’s fault.
read full account of Jonathans experienceJonathan feels he disassociated his current life from his childhood
Jonathan’s parents lived abroad, and he was sent to boarding school from a young age. There, he was abused on three occasions by Lawrence, who worked at the school as a cricket coach.
Although he says therapy is having a positive effect, it has taken him many years to find the courage to seek help.
read full account of Aidas experienceAida says: ‘I have told very few people what happened … my ex-husband said it was my fault’
Aida chose to share her experiences with the Truth Project by letter. She writes that she was sexually abused in her home from a very young age by her mother’s partner, and throughout her later life by other men.
As an adult this led to her feeling ‘timid, frightened and usable’ in an abusive marriage.
read full account of Angharads experienceFeeling she will not be believed has been a recurring theme in Angharad’s life
Angharad was sexually abused in the home of a neighbour when she was a small child. She spoke about the abuse but her father did not believe her and a police investigation did not proceed.
This experience left her feeling there was no point reporting the further abuse that she was subjected to in her pre-teen years, and that she was to blame for it.
read full account of Johannas experienceBeing left alone and feeling like an outsider made Johanna vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation
Johanna says she was a ‘misfit’ in school.
Keen to be liked, she got a boyfriend, who began raping her when she was 12. This was the beginning of eight years of sexual abuse, exploitation and violence.
read full account of Leopolds experienceLeopold says ‘You don’t forget sexual abuse and you don’t get over it’
Leopold was an only child and his mother was a single parent.
‘I spent most of my childhood at boarding school, unfortunately’ he says.