Anyone following the Donaldson Trial - trigger warning abuse

[bellventrico]

Today's evidence was particularly disturbing. Witness B alleges she was raped in late primary school. She was cross examined as to whether she told anyone. This resonated with me. I was sexually assaulted when I was a year older and never told anyone other than my husband (recently( - not my best friends, not my mother, not my sister - all the people I Woyld normally have confided in over the past 50 years. My abuser was 19 so a man and clearly a paedophile but if I never spoke it's extremely credible that someone closely enough associated with Donaldson to be sleeping in the same house and visiting regularly would not speak out against a much older influential man. Innocent until proven guilty of course but i know I still don't have the courage to speak out even though my abuser was abetted by a serving police officer.

So sorry to learn of your experience. Of course children tend not to disclose, because they are led to believe that they have done something wrong, or brought abuse upon themselves.

Also a psychological reaction is to create a false narrative to feel bodily control is retrieved by blaming oneself. Adult victims, not just of sexual violence, can be prone to this. Causing serious long term MH problems.

In this case it is clear what went on.