Girls everywhere are molested, harassed, and raped for years altogether starting at a very tender age. Children do not know any better at such an age, and usually end up keeping what happened, to themselves. They feel betrayed, unworthy, and guilty, worrying if what happened was somehow their fault. This makes coming out, and telling someone about it even more difficult because they cannot predict what the reaction would be.
Child sexual abuse is a harsh reality which many of us fail to recognise.
But there are some brave souls out there.
The hashtag#WhenIWas started by Everyday Sexism project is seeing many men and women share their stories of sexual abuse as kids. It is good to see so many people coming forward and sharing their stories so courageously, but it’s also sad that there are countless people out there who were abused at an age when they knew nothing.
Here are some heartbreaking sexual abuse stories that people shared:
Child sexual abuse can have deep, and long-lasting repercussions which most people fail to understand. Even your closest friends and families will not be able to grasp the gravity of it. When kids as young as 6 years are being sexually abused, you should be concerned. How sick can anyone be to do that?
Things need to change, and things need to change soon. No one should live in fear of the next time when somebody will run their hands down their breasts or make them touch their private parts and pass it off as a game.
More power to the people who came out and told the world their stories. And if you know someone who has been sexually abused, just listen to them and be supportive. They’ll be thankful.
