For many survivors of sexual abuse, the decision to come forward brings with it the added fear of having their sexual history cross-examined in court.
This was the case for sisters Joan Taite and Geraldine Hughes Byrne, who were both abused by the same man when they were just children. They were discouraged from coming forward for many years due to the cross-examination that might take place, but after seeing other women speak out, they decided it was time to do the same. Their abuser was eventually brought to justice, but during the trial his defence tried to claim that the abuse had been consensual.
"I was accused of having an affair with him at 14," said Joan. "The barrister also said that I had another boyfriend at the time. I didn't, but even if I had, that had nothing to do with what was done to me."
Geraldine spoke about how attempts are often made by the defence to undermine the victim's credibility. The length of time that has passed since the abuse can also lead to difficulty remembering precise details, but "you'll never forget the event - it's a life sentence."
The message Joan and Geraldine want to send out is that it's never too late to come forward about abuse, and that there should never be any shame in doing so: "The abuser should be ashamed, not the victim."
Listen to the full interview with Joan and Geraldine below:
