Teddy's name: Hope
Age when sexually assaulted: 2-3, 6, 9-10 and 20
Who assaulted Teddy: Baby sitter, Friend's mother and father, School employee and 4 strangers
Town or State where the assault happened: UK, South Africa and France
Teddy's message to the world:
It started when I was 2 - just an innocent child learning about the World. What I learnt was that the World was not a safe place, that there were people who could and would hurt me and that there was nothing I could do to stop them. I learnt that I could die, and that there was nothing I could do to stop myself from dying except to do exactly what I was told. I learnt that no one was going to help me, I had to fend for myself. And I learnt that I could fend for myself, I could look after myself and I could survive. Hard lessons for a little girl of 2. They say that history repeats itself, and that was certainly the case in my childhood. I don't know if I had a certain look, a way of being, a signal that somehow attracted these people to me, but they knew how to find me. I coped with it all in the same way, by doing what I was told and surviving. I told no one and no one guessed or found out. As an adult faced again with the reality of sexual assault on various occasions (again, what is it about me that attracts these people?) I resorted to my childhood survival methods - after all they had got me through before. Do what you're told, survive, tell no one. But the time has come to change that. To realise I am no longer a child and no longer vulnerable in the same way. I am no longer disempowered, no longer voiceless, no longer weaker than them. I am an equal, stonger even because of what I've gone through. And I will no longer be silenced by fear, threats or anything else. The time has come to speak up and speak out, to give up shame and guilt and embarrassment. To get rid of fear and sadness and regret. To move forward and to live a full and happy life, the kind of life I deserve to lead. To move towards peace, love and acceptance. To move towards that shining beacon of light which got me through the tough times, which I never gave up on, no matter how hard things got. The Light of Hope. Good luck to you all. Never give up, never give in, and remember that with hope you can accomplish anything.
Age when sexually assaulted: 2-3, 6, 9-10 and 20
Who assaulted Teddy: Baby sitter, Friend's mother and father, School employee and 4 strangers
Town or State where the assault happened: UK, South Africa and France
Teddy's message to the world:
It started when I was 2 - just an innocent child learning about the World. What I learnt was that the World was not a safe place, that there were people who could and would hurt me and that there was nothing I could do to stop them. I learnt that I could die, and that there was nothing I could do to stop myself from dying except to do exactly what I was told. I learnt that no one was going to help me, I had to fend for myself. And I learnt that I could fend for myself, I could look after myself and I could survive. Hard lessons for a little girl of 2. They say that history repeats itself, and that was certainly the case in my childhood. I don't know if I had a certain look, a way of being, a signal that somehow attracted these people to me, but they knew how to find me. I coped with it all in the same way, by doing what I was told and surviving. I told no one and no one guessed or found out. As an adult faced again with the reality of sexual assault on various occasions (again, what is it about me that attracts these people?) I resorted to my childhood survival methods - after all they had got me through before. Do what you're told, survive, tell no one. But the time has come to change that. To realise I am no longer a child and no longer vulnerable in the same way. I am no longer disempowered, no longer voiceless, no longer weaker than them. I am an equal, stonger even because of what I've gone through. And I will no longer be silenced by fear, threats or anything else. The time has come to speak up and speak out, to give up shame and guilt and embarrassment. To get rid of fear and sadness and regret. To move forward and to live a full and happy life, the kind of life I deserve to lead. To move towards peace, love and acceptance. To move towards that shining beacon of light which got me through the tough times, which I never gave up on, no matter how hard things got. The Light of Hope. Good luck to you all. Never give up, never give in, and remember that with hope you can accomplish anything.
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