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April 26, 2026

By writingdiane / June 1, 2025

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Raise Your Shield Free Family Event, Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center, 1-3 pm, Morgantown, WV

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Recent Posts

Parenting through Sibling Sexual Abuse | The Impossible Choice
Healing After Child Sexual Abuse | 7 Choices That Help You Reclaim Your Life
The Story I Was Born to Write | A tale of sibling sexual trauma and abuse
Sibling Sexual Abuse and Trauma—What are the risk factors?
Family Estrangement | What is it and how should you deal with it?

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Parenting through Sibling Sexual Abuse Has to be o

Parenting through Sibling Sexual Abuse
Has to be one of the hardest things ever.

When I read this blog post of Brandy's last month,
I immediately messaged her and to ask
If I could run the post on my website's blog.

This blog post is such an honest glimpse
Into what a family experiences post disclosure of Sibling Sexual Trauma and Abuse.

I remember wanting my parents to pick me over the brother who harmed me.
Forever.
But in time, once I became a parent,
I understood how very hard that situation would be,
To choose one child over another,
Especially if grandkids are involved.

Thank you, Brandy, for letting me share your words.
If people stumble upon my website as a resource for SSTA,
I want them to find some information on parenting through SSTA.
And of course, I want them to find links to 5waves,
The organization you helped found.
I believe 5WAVES is the best resource dedicated specifically to confronting and healing sibling sexual trauma and abuse (SSTA).

Link to this blog post is in the LinkTree included in my bio up above.
You can also find my website address in the image above.

#siblingsexualabuseawareness #parentchildrelationship #siblingrelationships
#familymatters

As a survivor of child sexual abuse (CSA), That wa

As a survivor of child sexual abuse (CSA),
That was intrafamilial (IFCSA--aka "incest),
And child-on-child-sexual-abuse (COCSA),
And sibling sexual trauma and abuse (SSTA),

I know how long an abuse experience can stay with a survivor.
The memory of the trauma does not fade quickly.
And for many, it will never fade.

Personally, I don't get through a day
Without thinking about my SA experience.
I don't think I'm alone in this.

Which is why survivors often get furious
When people tell them to hurry up their healing.

Be patient with the survivor(s) you love.
Ask them from time to time how they're doing.
Let them know you're there for them if they need anything.

#survivingtrauma #healingjourney #healingtakestime #survivingcsa

I have BIG feelings about the topic of Forgiveness

I have BIG feelings about the topic of
Forgiveness after child sexual abuse.

Because there are a whole lot of individuals out there
Telling CSA survivors they HAVE to forgive their abusers.
Even when there is no remorse shown or acknowledgement of wrong-doing.

Guess what?
The choice to forgive or not is up to the survivor.
This decision does not belong to the survivor’s parents, therapist, or pastor.

The survivor gets to decide if and when they extend forgiveness.
And for the record, many a survivor has healed just fine
Without extending forgiveness.
Some people “need” it.
Some people could care less.

Instead of telling a survivor what they should or shouldn’t do,
Ask them on a regular basis,
“How can I support you right now?”

Note: To read more about my personal CSA journey, pick up “Everyone Was Silent: A memoir,” available on Amazon.

#healingjourney #healingtrauma #mythbuster #thechoiceisyours

Do you know what often leads to sibling sexual tra

Do you know what often leads to sibling sexual trauma and abuse (SSTA)?

As a survivor of SSTA,
As a body safety educator in public schools,
As a child safety professional in-person and online,
I do a lot of research.

Not only that, but once my book "Everyone Was Silent: A memoir" came out,
Many people with lived experience--survivors AND parents--have told me SSTA is happening in their home.

In every situation,
These individuals shared that pornography consumption
By the child who caused harm was happening.
Often at alarming levels.
In fact, one mother said her son who caused harm confessed to viewing 8+ hours of pornography a day.

What can you do?
-Have frequent body safety conversations with all your kids
-Be sure parental controls are activated on all digital devices
-Check your children's digital activity randomly
-Read and discuss Kristen Jenson's book "Good Pictures, Bad Pictures."
Her company, @defendyoungminds, puts out great resources!
-On a weekly basis, ask your kids
1) if they need your help with anything and,
2) if anything or anyone is making them anxious or afraid
-Also, @ProtectYoungEyes is another great child safety account to follow.

#siblingsexualabuseawareness #childsafetymatters #parentchildrelationship #conversationmatters #preventionispossible

Here is my go-to script For receiving a "disclosur

Here is my go-to script
For receiving a "disclosure."
Which is a fancy word for a someone telling you they experienced a hard thing.😐

If you've read my book, "Everyone Was Silent: A memoir," 📘
These phrases may sound familiar.
They were the very things my first therapist told me
When I shared with her the story of my child sexual abuse (CSA) experience 😢
(Which was sibling sexual abuse--a form of child-on-child-sexual-abuse).

Like the next to last screen says,
Don't be super emotive.
Don't scream, yell, or cry.😳
The person disclosing needs to know you've got your act together
And that they can depend on you to support them.

-"Everyone Was Silent: A memoir" is available on Amazon.
-You can get signed copies (with swag!) at my website.

#disclosure #disclosureday #childsafetymatters #parentingtip #healingjourney #parentchildrelationship

Right now people are disclosing sexual harm—child

Right now people are disclosing sexual harm—child sexual abuse, sexual assault, etc.—at rates never seen before.

So what do YOU do
If someone shares with you
Their experience of sexual violence?

Say these 5 things:

-I believe you.
-It was wrong.
-It was not your fault.
-Whatever you did to survive, I support you.
-What do you need from me right now? I am 100% here for you.

This “script” is taken right out of my book
“Everyone Was Silent: A memoir.”
Those words, spoken by my therapist, right after I shared with her my story,
Helped me so much.

Often when I speak at events,
I share this script with people
Who are on the receiving end of a disclosure.
Because hearing these stories can be daunting, heavy.
But it’s also a privilege.
This person trusted you with this very difficult information.
Please handle every single survivor with care.

#Healingtrauma #healingjourney #empathymatters #childsexualabuseawareness #endsexualviolence

Diane Tarantini

Author of The Brave Knight
Child Safety Educator
Lover of cats, coffee, and sassy outfits

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Home
About
My Books
- Everyone Was Silent
- The Brave Knight
Speaking
Blog
Resources
Shop
Contact

Home
About
My Books
- Everyone Was Silent
- The Brave Knight
Speaking
Blog
Resources
Shop
Contact

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