2008 Photo Contest, Contemporary Issues, 2nd prize
Photographer

Lorena Ros

Panos Pictures

01 January, 2005

Irene's parents' house - a scene that triggers her memories of sexual abuse. Irene (22) is unsure at what age she was first subjected to incest, but it certainly started when she was a small child in Barcelona. The last available study, conducted in 1994, indicated that 23 percent of girls and 15 percent of boys under the age of 17 in Spain had been sexually abused. Most abused children will never speak of their experience. As an adult survivor, Irene believes that disclosing her personal story will contribute to the prevention of future child sex abuse.

About the photographer

Lorena Ros

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