'You ruined me': New Zealand's abuse survivors speak at landmark inquiry

Survivors are given a voice at first public hearings of investigation into historical abuse of thousands of children in state and faith-based care

On the morning Annasophia Calman is due to testify in public about a childhood destroyed at the hands of her father and the state, she eats scrambled eggs on toast and paces back and forth in the hallway outside her hotel room.

“My daughter rang up and she goes, ‘Mum, I’m so proud of you. You’re finally going to do it. It’s going to be over for you,’ ” Calman says. “But I knew it wasn’t over until I actually did it.”

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It’s hard when the records show how badly she was treated. It’s important that people know about those.

Related: New Zealand: just 11% of sexual violence reports lead to conviction

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/372jxaK