That “man”

I was told to keep quite. I was told not to say anything. Whenever I bring it up I get silenced. Most people didn’t believe me at first. Only a handful believe me now. I struggle with this everyday and somedays are worst than others. I’ve been called a lier by my own mother while she continuously bashed and degraded me. She knows deep down that my words are true and yet she lets everyone believe him. I told her what all happened, I told her dates, I told her everything. All he said was “I didn’t do it”. I explained everything to her in details and all it took was 4 words from him to make her turn against me. I was sent to live with my grandma, I had to move away from my friends, my school, my sister…while he continued to live his life “innocent” my little sister told her story to the cops a year later. She and my adopted sister were sent to my older sisters house while DHR investigated. All of my family talked down on my sister but I knew she was telling the truth. My mother went to visit my sister and proceeded to threaten her. Telling her if she didn’t tell the cops that she was lying then my mom would have her sent far away from everyone. She told her she’d have her boyfriend arrested being as he’s 18 and she’s 15(my mother lets it happen). She told me if I didn’t say anything to cps while on our interview she’d help me and my fiancé get a vehicle. So my sister and I did as we were told. CPS put her back in that house, with that “man” and our mother.
That “man” by the way is her husband.

— Survivor, age 17