How Society Silences Adult Victims of Child Sexual Abuse

‘Where are you going?’ my neighbour asked whilst entering her house as I was leaving mine. I was going to meet fellow survivors of child sexual abuse at an event. They, like me, had shoved aside their anonymity to share their most painful experiences in news clips, published articles, speeches - anything to break the … Continue reading How Society Silences Adult Victims of Child Sexual Abuse →

Happy Christmas?

Having a German parent resulted in me having two Christmases each year when I was a child. The first began with me shivering with excitement rather than cold during a family walk after dark on Christmas Eve. We returned to the festive chimes of our Weihnachtspyramide and warming smell of Adventskranz candles, and our large … Continue reading Happy Christmas? →

The Discomfort Of Compliments And Shame

Recently I embarked on reading my diaries from start to finish. I began writing when I was twelve so my journey will take a year and a half reading at my current speed of one month a day. My motive is to reacquaint myself with memories that the trauma monster kicked out of my mind … Continue reading The Discomfort Of Compliments And Shame →

Is Sexually Abusing A Child Forgivable?

He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love Martin Luther King Jr. We’ve all seen those short, inspirational quotes encouraging us to lead better lives. However well meaning they may be, the ones promoting forgiveness make me feel angry, hurt and belittled. You see, I'm unable to … Continue reading Is Sexually Abusing A Child Forgivable? →

Unanswered Questions

It was a short and unremarkable tweet that drew my attention to just how many unanswered questions many victims of child sexual abuse carry. Flicking through my imaginary biography, paragraphs thick with guilt and shame have been cut out by those who betrayed me, naively thinking I wouldn’t notice. And whole pages are missing where … Continue reading Unanswered Questions →

Why I Didn’t Tell

I was six, maybe seven years old. I was in my bedroom with my favourite dolls carefully arranged in the houses I’d made for them out of shoe boxes. Their furniture and belongings were made from cardboard, odd bits and bobs and plenty of imagination. But I wasn’t playing with them. Instead my grandfather was … Continue reading Why I Didn’t Tell →

Examinations………Internal Ones

Many victims of child sexual abuse find internal examinations particularly distressing and can freeze, have panic attacks or disassociate. But to me, whether performed by a man or woman, they are as stressful as popping into a local shop to buy sweets. Once I even fell asleep whilst lying half naked waiting for one, such … Continue reading Examinations………Internal Ones →