The
rate at which stepfathers abuse their stepdaughters is alarming. This blog is
not to talk about these so called evil Stepfathers, but to encourage mums to
take care of their daughters.
The
story below is both sad and good. Sad because the trauma the victim has gone
through, a lot other young women have been through the same and their lives
never remained the same again. And yes, many more are still going through such
abuses, thank God for the husband of this victim who has helped her through and
brought her abuser to Justice.
My
question is how many people may be as lucky as this victim? Abuse on children
has its many disadvantages in the life of the victim, especially for the very
many who never had the courage to speak about it; their lives are destroyed by
the effect of the trauma.
You
may want to ask “how does this concern you?” this concerns each of us for
various reasons:
It
brings general awareness to everyone of what could be going on in homes thus we
could be our brother’s keeper and help keep an eye on children, especially
those from broken homes whose mums have remarried or are having a partner.
There
are some of us who may be gifted to support victims of such abuse to overcome
the effect on their lives and by this article; I think the time is now to start
doing something to help these victims.
You
may not be able to help directly but may like me or the victim in the article
be able to write more on the subject for others to read and learn more of the
side effects of this abuse for their future.
For
you mums, it will help you support your daughters better and keep them away
from abuse.
Please
read the article below and share with as many people as you can. Happy
Reading!!!
Abuse
victim says her rapist stepdad made her dress up in mother’s lingerie when she
was eight
Richard Hartley-Parkinson for Metro.co.ukMonday
20 Apr 2015 10:25 am
The abuse started when Kim was
just four years old (Picture: PA Real Life)
A woman has broken her silence about suffering sexual abuse at
the hands of her stepfather.
Kim Hill, now 31, was forced to dress up in her mother’s lingerie and
watch porn with Derek Osborne when she was just eight years old.
She did not speak about the assaults she suffered until husband, Rob
Hill, 34, asked her if she had been abused as a child because she
was often withdrawn.
Kim broke down and told him what had happened.
The abuse started when she was just four years old and continued until
after she turned 12.
Speaking about the abuse, Mrs Hill, who married Mr Hill in 2013, said:
‘I didn’t know any different so I accepted what he was doing as normal.
Kim’s ordeal was unravelled
when her husband asked her if she had been abused (Picture: PA Real Life)
‘I saw him as my dad. I just thought my dad loved me very much.’
Mrs Hill’s father died when she was young and she was aged three when
Osborne began a relationship with her mother.
She said: ‘I scrambled for mum’s attention with my three siblings. But I
was always Derek’s favourite.
‘He’d come and tuck me into bed while Mum watched television
downstairs.’
But then his attention turned sexual and he invited her into his bed
‘for a cuddle’.
When she was seven and learning about sex, she began to realise what he
was doing was wrong.
‘I was horrified, all I could think was, “What if I have a baby growing
inside me?”,’ she said. ‘I knew how upset mum would be if she found out and I’d
get into so much trouble.’
Derek Osborne was jailed for 21 years (Picture: PA Real Life)
At the age of 10, Osborne and Kim’s mother split up, but kept in touch
and two days after her 12th birthday he sexually assaulted her again.
She said: ‘My feet were kicking as hard as I could but I wasn’t strong
enough to push him away.
‘A look of anger spread across his face as he tried to hold me down.
After, I felt disgusting. That was the last time he abused me.’
As a result she found it difficult to form relationships with men until
she met Rob who helped her through the trauma of going to police and reliving
the nightmare from 20 years ago.
It emerged that he had abused other people and last May
he admitted 16 different counts and was jailed for 21 years. One count of
gross indecency with a child – not on Kim – was later quashed.
She said: ‘I’ve started counselling and healing sessions with the Happiness Foundation. They’re helping me to
accept it and move on.
‘Rob is there with me every step of the way and I know he’s so proud.
‘I’ve also started a blog about everything I’ve been
through.
‘I’ve had so many victims of sexual abuse thank me for telling my story
and showing you can put your abuser behind bars – even years later.