My name is Sabrina Giglio. My family are descendants from Sicily, Palermo, Italy. When I was 13, I am now 45, I was raped by my cousin, my mothers sisters son. When it happened all in a three month period, I was taken in back of alleys, beaten, anal violated, oral sex in houses of people who condoned it. When I told my mother she told me to stay quiet. When I told my father he just said it took two to tango. I never ever have dealt with the pain. I always want and want and want to see him suffer, I hate him he is married with children and even my other cousins in Italy stayed quiet. To this day, it has ruined my life. I did drugs I became a relationship nightmare, now with 4 children and I lost my career, I lost all hope. No one cares for me, I am alone. I think after I got raped the way I dealt with it was being overly sexually active, doing drugs, for a few years I got better, I have two degrees in education but I had to resign. That is another story. I have been homeless I live with a angry man I remember reaching out to him and he said nothing. he said all woman say that. I lost everything. I am writing you because watching your documentary on Netflix it made me cry it made me want to fight. It made me want to know you such a powerful woman. I feel like an insect compared to you. a no one a piece of crap who was raped and no one cared. My cousin still lives in Palermo and I see him on facebook and I want to vomit. I have lost all hope. I just want to die because inside I already did.
— Sabrina, age 45
Oh Sabrina, my heart breaks for you. No one should ever have to go through what you went through. Unless someone has gone through it themselves, they just dont get it. You did nothing wrong and you did nothing to deserve that treatment. I am so sorry that your family did not support you in the way that you deserved. Trust me when i say that you are special in God’s eyes. You are meant to be on this earth for a reason! Jesus Christ died for you because that is how much he LOVES you! And i love you too! You are a strong woman and you have the strength in you to rise above all of this and forgive this man that took advantage of you. Not for him, but for you! Forgiveness isnt for the person you are forgiving, it is for you! so that you can let it go and know that God will take care of that man for what he did to you and to others. I hope you find comfort and hope from this message and know that i will be praying for you! You are loved and special! dont ever think differently!
Dear Sabrina – thank you so much for sharing your story here. First of all I want to say that I believe you and it does NOT take 2 to tango. What your cousin did to you IS HIS FAULT AND NOT YOURS. I know this might seem weird since we never met, but I care about you. I am so grateful that Brave Miss World made you want to fight. If there is any way you can manage it, I would encourage you to talk to a therapist. Or if not, maybe try journaling. It can be such a relief to get your feelings out, whether on paper or to another person. You are not an insect – you are a powerful woman too. You shared your voice here and you touched my heart and I will be thinking about you and sending you love. Wishing you peace and love and support, Alexis