Family secrets

On the same day of the birth of my sister, the youngest of my 5 sisters, another sister was sexually abused. 7 years later also that newborn was abused constantly for 5 years, we did not know of either abuse until many years later. Both attempted suicide as teenagers, one with rat poison and the other with pills.

I keep engraved in my memory the day that my high school friends and I formed a circle and sat on the grass and made a round of confessions, that afternoon they all said they had been sexually abused by one of their relatives, one of my best friends by her brother, another by her grandfather and another by a neighbor.

Another day that remained marked in my memories was when my sister was raped, and I only remember hiding under some iron sheets so they wouldn't abuse me too. I was 4 years old and my brain has doubted in many ways if my sister's abuser also managed to reach me, although the only thing I remember is that dark place and my scared mind hiding.

Mexico ranks first in child sexual abuse worldwide, according to the SOS Children's Villages organization, and 60% of these aggressions come from a family member or person close to the family. This is only an estimate because only 2 percent of the crimes are reported due to children's guilt and fear.

During the pandemic, calls requesting help for domestic violence and abuse increased 80%, since in most of these cases the abuser is at home, according to the same organization.