Survivors of childhood domestic abuse
Hi everyone, I am posting here to bring awareness to an issue that is very personal to my own childhood experiences. After a lot of thought, I have created VOICE - Voicing Our Inner Childhood Experiences on *** - I created VOICE because there is a deep gap in support for those of us who grew up in homes affected by domestic abuse.
We often hear about support for adult survivors — but rarely for those who experienced abuse as children and are now navigating adulthood with wounds that were never acknowledged, treated, or even understood.
Before laws like the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, many child victims were overlooked entirely. Services weren’t designed for us. Family support wasn’t always there. We were expected to move on, grow up, and “leave it behind.”
But the truth is:
The trauma doesn’t end just because childhood does.
The silence doesn’t mean we’ve healed.
The pain doesn’t stop — it grows with us.
As someone with both lived experience and a background in academic research into this very issue, I understand what it feels like to carry invisible scars. To feel unheard, isolated, angry — or guilty for that anger.
That’s why this space exists.
VOICE is here to offer connection, understanding, and validation — not therapy or crisis support, but a peer community for anyone ready to be seen and heard.
Whether you're here to share, reflect, or simply read and feel less alone — you are welcome. You are safe here.
If and when you feel ready, feel free to introduce yourself.
If you’re not — that’s completely okay too. Just being here is enough.
You are not alone anymore.
Love,
Nicola
link - https://www.***.com/groups/1812311745982694/
@brightBunny4819
Thank you for sharing such an invaluable resource to help others 💜💕
I was abused for 34 years of my life. I am a product of a rape I wasnt wanted at birth an allay was set up to be adopted. My Ma had told her family originally setting her stomach getting bigger dat she had cancer…. So I guess In dat sense’ I was cancer. Over all my mom for thee first 9 years was there perfect Mom despite. Our beginnings. From 9-21 I was physically an mental abused by my step father. I guess betting my mom had also grown up with abuse she really didn’t know how to protect me. She was born in 1914 had me later in life. Bein Irish an born so early in time dat didn’t have ‘da kings of resources we have now. Therapy was seen as taboo. When I found out about therapy dat there was actually such a thing as going somewhere for help she was furious she didn’t Wanna ME to go. My step father bought a young man into da picture who later would end up betting my ex but from 21-31 years old I was physically abused by him which I finally got free after he strangled me. Somehow within him my Ma did try to protect me but a switch came where for 3 years she had her form of verbal abuse. By this I mean she wouldn’t put me down or anything like dat she wouldn’t even cuss at me but if I asked her a question she would yell out there word what. There were several other comments she would make that’ basically confirmed what I already knew due to my step father and’ that’ was I didn’t have a voice. I didn’t have ‘da right to have feelings. I didn’t have any rights not even da right to live. In many ways she loved me which I knew by other things she did but because of ‘da negatives it was there dysfunctional kind of love. When she took such when I was 34 it was At dat time I was finally free to go for help an enter a day treatment program. Not only had she been way too overly protective from 9-34 years of my life but she pretty much refused to allow me to grow up. Anytime I wanted to learn somethin’ like cook or sew she would stop it from happening. Both her and my step father due to him starting it started calling me by my first name an by name became baby which c’n be pretty embarrassing bein’ called that’s out in public. Was in program for many years till finally I was able to heal an now who I was an how I wanted to be as a woman an As a human being.
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