Shaggy Dog,
There was recourse mate you just had to position yourself to be able to take that recourse, have about as much empathy as they did, blot out your conscience and be very good at planning.
Have a look in Tamworth (NSW) cemetery and see the number of locals that worked in the "boy" industry laid to rest after some extreme "accidents"

Jodelle,
Obviously there are all sorts of relationships that come under the term of child abuse. I do feel sympathy for your experiences and that of your partner.

If you have spoken to others who have been abused, can you tell me what percentage have trauma because of the abuse. I would expect those that experienced a loving relationship to be less truamatised.

I still do not have any answers to my question of, do victims of child sex abuse in non western cultures suffer the same amount of trauma, or are they better able to cope? Maybe in other cultures, they simply do not care about the victims. Or maybe because it is so common they do not see themselves as victims. In our western culture we have, in past, labelled any sexual activity as bad, wrong, unnatural and sinful. We even covered table legs lest they invoke sinful thoughts.

I seek answers for this in the same way as I seek answers to the question of; why some kids do not turn out good irrespective of their upbringing. many parents would like answers to that.

Banjo,
I distanced myself from my childhood, by a very long way, distance wise and emotionally. Out on my own at age fifteen and thousands of Ks away from where I was raised.
Most never really knew the background I came from so I guess I had a second bite, a fresh start, and never looked back.
I have had a successful career and an interesting life.
It has only been since I retired, and a few questions from my kids in recent times, that I have given it much thought.
I guess I go by the old adage 'whatever does not kill you can only make your stronger' but that said we are all different and handle things in different ways.
I do not forget but I do not dwell on the past, it is all about today and tomorrow, these are things I can do something about. The past is done and dusted.
Take it easy.
SD

My sorrow for every victim is for always and forever.
We once had a poster here who told us his story, his word stold too he would never get over it.
I have based my thoughts and posts on the threads first post.
In part Banjos questions about other country,s and cultures are well know, the answer that is.
Christianity is far from the only religion over seeing such hateful acts.
I do not think adult sex can ever be part of the threads intended path.

Folks,
I can assure you that there are many more child abusers and pedophiles out there than there are bikie gang members but somehow all the attention goes to the bikies.
I have a date with the Royal Commission next week. Not to give evidence of abuse but to justify my public statements that the RC is a farce because no single person will be locked up.
I gave the RC the names, dates and offenses of a lot of pedophile carers in the orphanages and state institutions that I grew up in and they were ignored in favor of gathering information that can assist in changing the way institutions are managed.
The offenders are still laughing.
Perhaps now someone might understand why I took pleasure in the "Parramatta River swim if you can" club"
Oh! and bye the way, there was the "Torrens Swimming Club" also though not many of them really learned to swim either.

Chris
The Royal Commission should, given their capacity, investigate any criminal offense bought to their attention. Information supplied to assist in carrying out their duties, should be regarded as the initial evidence to their investigations.
Institutions would be better managed by...listen to victims, remove offenders, not protect them! 'Not more criminal protection'.

Bikies are harassed because they are visible. Pedophiles are devious, sneaky, unassuming and walk the streets unabashedly. Imagine if they were recognizable...