Child Abuse Story From
Marina

Marina is from Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

The child abuse effects on Marina: longing to understand what happened to her as a child, as well as the friend who was also abused, and what happened to her abuser, she questions if it was the early work of a serial killer like Clifford Olson

I lived in Port Alberni. I was about 8 or 9 when a stranger approached my friend and I at Echo Pool. We were in an area guarded from any onlookers. He showed himself to us. That is how it all started. He continued to sexually abuse us for a year or so, maybe. I am not even sure about the time.

I told friends at school that he was doing this to my friend and I. Usually, he would make plans to meet us together. We even went in a car with him. Once, I remember being in an apartment. I did finally tell my neighbor (she was older), and she told my mom. It was all very weird.

I had to go to the police station with my mom. At the very same time, we were days away from moving to a different part of B.C. I went to the station, gave a statement. Within days, I remember getting on a plane and leaving, never to see my friend again or know what happened with her.

I was never to find out what happened to our abuser. My parents never talked to me about it, really. The weirdest thing was, we moved to this logging camp, and I swear he showed up there. I think he had gotten a job. I remember seeing him there and being so scared, thinking he was following me. But then, after a couple of weeks, he was gone.

I asked my dad about it 5 years ago. He didn't know a lot about what happened to this guy. I have no idea . . . sometimes I wonder if it was the early work of someone like Clifford Olson, before he started killing or something.

I am 37 now and have a relatively happy life, but sometimes it bothers me that I have no idea what happened to him . . . or my friend. I tried to phone Port Alberni police to find information, but nothing. I have tried to find my friend . . . nothing. I think about it a lot this time of year, for some reason.