Child Abuse Story From Katie

by Katie
(California, USA )

I was sexually abused as a child. I remember the first time it happened I was 4 years old and we were visiting my dad's brother, my uncle, for two days. The first night, the adults went out, leaving my cousin Derek who was 16 to look after me and my big sister Joanna who was 6.

Derek insisted right away that we had to take a bath. When I complained he said that my parents had told him to wash us and that he would be in big trouble if he didn't, so I said ok. He undressed us, making up some rule that we couldn't do it ourselves, and then undressed himself and got in the bath. He said that he had to come in because it was safer, so I didn't question it. After all, I was only 4. I remember that he washed us all over and then got us to rub his penis because this would "clean it." My sister and I hesitated at first, but he just pulled our hand and guided us.

After the bath, he took us to his room to read stories on his bed. When we asked to put pyjamas on he said it was summer and his house got warm at night. After we fell asleep in his arms, unclothed, Derek put shorts on us and carried us to the guest bedroom.

After that I can remember for maybe the next three years any chance Derek got alone with us he would touch us inappropriately and make us touch him. He would say that this is what good cousins who love each other do. Derek was always buying us candy and Barbies or taking us to the movies. He even took us to the fun fair one or two times. In my eyes, he was the best cousin in the world. As for the touching, I thought that was normal. Derek was never mad and only acted in a loving way, so I didn't see anything as wrong.

I remember shortly after my sister's 9th birthday, I was only 7, Derek was once again left to look after us, only this time it was for the whole weekend while my parents went away.

We loved Derek. He was so much fun, so we got excited, that was, until later that night. Derek brought us presents and said that we could only play with them if we did something to him. We said ok, not knowing what to expect. Derek performed oral sex on us. It felt good, so we again didn't think this was bad. He then convinced us to perform oral sex on him by tricking us. He said that if we loved him we would do it and if we didn't do it he would be very upset and that he could never see us again. We didn't want fun Derek to go away, so we agreed.

The next day when Derek said that our love time was to be different tonight, we didn't understand. Last night was already different, so what now? Derek ended up having sex with my sister. At first she agreed because she said she wanted to marry Derek one day. When he started to have sex, she began to cry because of the pain, but Derek didn't stop. He just kept going as she shouted at him to stop. I sat there not knowing what I should do. I was too confused by the whole situation. I just curled up in a ball and tried to block the noises out.

When Derek was finished with Joanna, he lay with her till she fell asleep. He took me into my parents' room and then forced sex on me too, but since his penis wouldn't fit he settled for oral sex, even though I was crying at this stage.

After that weekend, we slowly decided we didn't like Derek so much and that what he was doing was wrong. He continued to have sex with Joanna and even ended up having sex with me as my 9th birthday present.

The only other time we spent a whole night with Derek was when I was 9 1/2. My parents were away for the night again, this time for a school reunion. Derek said he had college exams coming up and that he needed to study at home so we stayed in his house. Derek invited his neighbor, a boy who was 13, over to his house. The boy had sex with both my sister and I, and then Derek had sex with the boy as well. It was the only time another person was involved. Derek told us it was his "special friend."

After that, when I was 10 and Joanna was almost 13, a lady came to her class at school to talk about sexual abuse and what it meant. She told me about it and it was then that we fully recognized what Derek had been doing the past 6 years was wrong. I think deep down we knew it, but we were just frightened and though we loved Derek.

My sister wrote a letter to the lady explaining our situation. A week later, a social worker was sent to the school to interview the two of us.

Derek was sent to prison for 10 years. With much therapy and support from my parents I have been able to get over this part of my life.

It has been 9 years since Derek was sent to prison. With his release coming up in November, I thought it was time I let my story out.

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