It took me 35 years to feel safe enough to start healing and to talk about my CSA. 

My trauma was pushed down very deep but slowly started creeping up interfering with my everyday life. 

Once I started therapy I knew I was going to report my neighbour for what he did to me. 

I knew it was going to be hard as nobody knew, not even my husband. 

The last 3 years have been full of disclosures to my family and friends, reporting to the police and giving statements, my neighbour getting arrested, having anxiety and depression which was new to me. 

I learnt how to advocate for myself a lot for what I needed.

Going through all that for 3 years for my case to be dropped due to my perpetrators mental health was devastating. 

I’m at peace with it now and am focusing on helping other survivors like me. 

I will not be kept quiet anymore. 

I started a Facebook page Still I Rise for my own healing but also for other survivors not to feel so alone. 

I’m spreading awareness in the hope to help stop CSA.