Episode 1 - Why do we struggle to talk about sexual abuse?

'Trigger Warning' if you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse please remember the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 24-Hour Helpline 1800 77 8888

Welcome to our Count Me In! Podcast.  We are the Kavanagh sisters, Joyce, June and Paula.  We were each sexual abused by our father.  In 1989 we made the decision to bring charges against our father. He was convicted and imprisoned for seven years and released after five.

As this is our first podcast, we would like to kick things off by looking at why people find it so difficult to discuss the issue of childhood sexual abuse and if there is anything, we can do to help make it easier for them.

Discussing this issue is vitally important if we ever hope to create change. We cannot normalise the conversations around childhood sexual abuse if no one is willing to talk about it. 

It is important to say right from the outset that we do not claim to have all the answers, nor are we qualified therapists/counsellors.  Everything we say is simply our opinions based on each of our personal experience of childhood sexual abuse.

To begin with, each week we will choose one of the psychological impacts of childhood sexual abuse that almost destroyed our lives and discuss just how each of these condition/disorder manifested in our lives.

 The research we undertook to write our second book ‘Why Go Back? 7 Steps to Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse,’ along with the continued work we do on our own healing, puts us in a position to help other victims let go of the pain and suffering caused by this heinous crime.

Childhood sexual abuse no longer needs to be a life sentence. We strongly believe if you are armed with the information to understand just how every part of your life is altered through the experience of childhood abuse/ trauma you can find peace in your life. 

Take Care 

Joyce, June & Paula xxx