Jasmine's Story
Jasmine* shares her story of physical and psychological abuse by her brothers and her advice for other survivors.
What happened?
"My older brothers abused me every day. It was borderline torture. One would hold me down and the other would physically abuse me. Sometimes they took turns, but it was mostly my oldest brother who seemed to get the most satisfaction out of it. I was often covered in bruises, scrapes, cuts. They whipped me at times. They would force me outside with no shoes in the middle of winter and lock the door. I once climbed out of my bedroom window to try to get away, and my brother told me to jump. He was laughing. They would call me names, tell me I was stupid, fat, and ugly. They would read my diary and tell all their friends what they read, causing a deep sense of embarrassment. They made me feel worthless."
How did it impact your well-being and relationships with others?
"I experience selective mutism as a child, and I would often miss school and hide. I didn鈥檛 like being around my peers. I didn鈥檛 feel like the world was safe for me to be in, or that I belonged in it. It affected almost every aspect of my life in a very negative way.
"Since children have no frame of reference, they normalize the abuse. I ended up in several abusive relationships as an adult, still not realizing it was abuse. I still struggle to this day. My mental health has me incapacitated at times, and it all stems from the abuse I suffered at the hands of my brothers."
Advice for others
The adult survivors of sibling abuse, such as myself, would do absolutely anything in our power to protect you.
"Victims of sibling abuse: your experiences are real, your feelings are valid. There are more people who want to help you, more than there are people who want to harm you. If you don鈥檛 have protection from your parents, tell another trusted adult (teacher, counselor, a friend's parent, or another family member). The adult survivors of sibling abuse, such as myself, would do absolutely anything in our power to protect you. You are loved by us, even if you don鈥檛 know us. We are opening up so this doesn鈥檛 happen anymore."
Need Help?
211 Hotline
Mental health resources for yourself or someone you care about:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or chat online:
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor or visit
RAINN
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 or chat via
Stop It Now! Helpline
Anyone with questions or concerns about child sex abuse: call 1.888.PREVENT or visit
SAARA Resources:
- Tips for Choosing a Therapist to Treat Harmful Sibling Dynamics
- Resources for Professionals and Parents to Improve Sibling Relationships
*All names are pseudonyms to protect the privacy of those who share their stories with us.
