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 Antons experienceAnton says ‘the welfare of children must be given precedence over the institutions of church and state’
Anton grew up in the 1970s. He had a difficult family life: his father was an alcoholic and his mother was disabled, and they were very short of money.
His parents were keen for him to be involved in the community through the church and local Scout groups but this exposed him to inappropriate and abusive behaviour on many occasions.
read full account of Aoifes experienceAoife says ‘I didn’t even know when my birthday was until I was 12 years old’
Aoife was born in the late 1960s. Her mother, who had been brought up in care, was 13 when she gave birth to her, and Aoife was initially placed in care.
When Aoife was three years old, she was returned to her mother, who by this time was 16 years old and living with a man called John, who was in his early 20s.
read full account of Anyas experienceAnya says the perpetrators of child sexual exploitation see it not as paedophilia, but a business opportunity
Anya lived with her mother, stepfather and younger half-siblings. She recounts that her mum was very strict and that like many teenagers, Anya was rebellious.
A series of circumstances and encounters with people who lived in her neighbourhood drew her into a web of exploitation, sexual abuse, threats and violence. She was trapped in this terrifying world for four years before she managed to escape.
read full account of Mabons experienceMabon says that he feels ‘awful and empty’ but hopes sharing his experience may help others
Mabon was returned home from a foster placement to his mother and stepfather, who was sexually abusing him.
He feels strongly there should be stricter checks on parents and adoptive parents.
read full account of Veronicas experienceVeronica was a deaf child whose parents had died, but police described the nun who abused her as ‘vulnerable’
Veronica’s father passed away when she was young and when her mum became terminally ill the family started looking at children’s homes for Veronica to live. Her siblings were fostered, but the foster parents didn’t want Veronica as she was deaf. A home was found which had a deaf school attached.
Veronica was placed in a children’s home run by nuns. She was subjected to cruelty and abuse from a few of the nuns, including one who was particularly sadistic. No one in the home signed, so communication was difficult for Veronica. It was run by four main nuns. Veronica recalls that she liked one of them, but the others were very cruel.
read full account of Saffrons experienceSaffron says the man who abused her online ‘ … was so nice to me, I felt like he was a good person’
Saffron never met the man who groomed and sexually abused her when she was a young teenager – it was an online encounter.
The experience caused her extreme distress and anxiety, and distorted her perception of relationships.
read full account of Marys experienceMary is still haunted by the trauma of sexual abuse by her older brother
Mary has made great efforts to deal with the trauma of sexual abuse by her older brother, but it continues to haunt her.
Mary feels her experiences have wrecked her relationships and knows that she is exceptionally protective of her child. She says: ‘I feel my life would have taken a totally different path if I hadn’t been abused.’
read full account of Reubens experienceReuben says in his community ‘what is seen as taboo they don’t talk about, and that causes a lot of damage’
Reuben was brought up in a devoutly religious community.
He believes that their strict observance meant that sexual abuse would not be dealt with, or even acknowledged.
read full account of Briers experienceBrier says that sports coaches can use their authority to groom and abuse young people
Brier was groomed and sexually abused by a gymnastics coach.
She found it impossible to say no to him because of the respected position he held.
read full account of Rionas experienceRiona says ‘Most of my life I have been miserable, depressed and extremely scared, especially of men’
In her early years, Riona lived with her mother and brother and her maternal grandparents. Her father had left home when she was a baby.
Her grandmother was a strict Catholic who made Riona say her prayers and go to mass every day. There were several other relatives staying in the house at different times. Two of the relatives were priests.
read full account of Griffins experienceGriffin says the sexual abuse he suffered in a children’s home was ‘part of everyday life’
Griffin and his siblings were neglected by their parents, and were all taken into care when he was a toddler.
He was sexually abused from the age of seven by an older resident in a children’s home. The police later said it was consensual sex.
read full account of Esthers experienceEsther says she feels like a failure for not being able to recall fully what happened to her
Esther relates that she struggled with depression during her childhood and adolescence and was bewildered as to why she felt that way. It was decades later that memories of sexual abuse returned to her, and she began to understand the reason for her unhappiness.
Esther describes growing up in an ‘idyllic’ rural village with her parents and an older brother. She says she was very studious at school and something of a ‘loner’.