A Story of Silenced Trauma and Survival

My history of abuse began when I was very young. My father didn’t love me because I was a girl, and my mother saw me as the reason why my father didn’t love her. She allowed all kinds of abuse and humiliation from different people around me.

The abuse began to impact my personality, even though I was a very intelligent girl. I told one of my aunts that her son was doing things to me that I didn’t like, and she called me a prostitute, even though I was only five years old. A few years later, I was abused by an older teen. From then on, I started having episodes where my arms would shake and I would stare blankly as if I were in another world.

At school, when I was seven years old, the teacher realized that something was wrong with me. I told her what I experienced. [The school] called my mother, who made me lie and say that everything I had told the teacher was a lie.

My aunt took care of me while my mother was working, but that meant enduring insults, humiliation, and her son’s abuse. I don’t want to keep writing; my chest hurts.

A note from the Saprea Team: Belisa’s childhood experience is not unique. It takes courage to acknowledge the impact of past trauma. If you are seeking support, consider Saprea’s free healing resources. We have created safe and supportive spaces for adult survivors of child sexual abuse.