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 Orlas experienceA lack of affection from her parents made Orla vulnerable to abuse by an older relative
Orla grew up in a school for the deaf in the 1980s. She can hear, but her mother and sister are deaf and Orla acted as a translator for the family.
She was sexually abused by her paternal grandfather, who worked at the school.
read full account of Laras experienceWarnings from her parents about ‘stranger danger’ did not protect Lara from sexual abuse by a man she knew
During the time Lara was being sexually abused by a music teacher, she didn’t have the knowledge or the words to understand what was happening.
As an adult, she realised the implications of his behaviour, and was horrified at the thought he probably abused other children.
read full account of Kevins experienceKevin says ‘I didn’t always know the words for what was happening to me’
It was only when Kevin heard a radio programme about sexual abuse that he really understood what had happened to him as a child. The difficulty for him when he was young, he says, is that ‘I didn’t always know the words for what was happening to me.’
Following his parents’ divorce, Kevin and his mother lived with relatives for a short time. He says it was a relief when they left there, as his uncle had been sexually abusing him.
read full account of Eugenes experienceEugene’s experience in court added to the trauma caused by the abuse he suffered
Eugene was groomed and sexually abused by a charismatic football coach he met on a family holiday.
To protect his mother’s feelings, he did not disclose the sexual abuse until she had passed away.
read full account of Eve-Maries experienceEve-Marie says that because she was neglected she confused abuse with positive attention
Eve-Marie grew up in chaos and neglect, with no boundaries on where she went and who she saw.
This led to her being sexually abused by numerous men, frequently in ‘plain sight’ of the adults who should have taken responsibility for her.
read full account of Morton s experienceMorton says ‘I was sexually abused at home and in care homes. What can you do but run away?’
Morton was happy and safe living with grandparents until he was wrenched away to live with his mother and stepfather.
Over the following 10 years, he suffered repeated sexual abuse in the family home and in several institutions.
read full account of Malachis experienceVulnerable after the death of his mother, Malachi was groomed and sexually abused by a relative
Two weeks before Malachi went to boarding school for the first time, his adoptive mother died.
An older relative took advantage of this tragedy and befriended, groomed and sexually abused the 13-year-old boy.
read full account of Dorians experienceDorian is conflicted about being abused. She feels the abuser was the only one who was kind to her
When Dorian was still a toddler she was abandoned by her parents and placed in care with a foster family.
She describes ‘horrendous and conflicting’ memories of this time. Her foster mother abused her physically and emotionally. The foster father sexually abused her but she finds it hard to blame or hate him, because she feels he showed her love.
read full account of Daynas experienceDayna describes a ‘crashing realisation’ that she had been groomed and abused by a teacher
A male teacher at Dayna’s school was allowed to take girls on numerous unofficial overnight trips.
Many of the girls were infatuated with him, and he took advantage of this to sexually abuse them.
read full account of Cyrils experienceCyril suffered sexual abuse in children’s homes in the years following World War II
Cyril grew up in a large family. His father had mental health problems after the war and Cyril knows that he was taken into care at the age of one, as were two of his sisters, each to different places.
In the late 1940s he was sent to a children’s home. From there many children were migrated to Australia. Cyril only just escaped this fate as his father refused to give permission for his son to be sent abroad.
read full account of Beccas experienceBecca says ‘The school didn’t want anything to be wrong with me, because I did well’
In the outside world, Becca was regarded as an exceptionally high-achieving child who excelled in academic work, music and sport.
But at home, she was subjected to a tyrannical regime of bullying, control and emotional abuse by her father, who had a serious mental health condition. He also sexually abused her.
read full account of Pollys experienceYears after she was sexually abused, Polly still feels that the investigation was inadequate
Polly describes a complex and difficult family life. She was removed from her parents’ care and sent to live with relatives.
This was not a safe place for her because her uncle sexually abused her. She has reported the abuse to the police, but is frustrated that no action has been taken.