MARIA

23 years

After a month going out with a boy from school, one day he asked me to send him a photo without clothes on. I found it a bit cheeky, but given his insistence and promises of love from day one, I thought it could be fun game between the two of us. However, when he received the photos his attitude towards me changed completely, he started calling me a "whore". I was totally confused as he was the one who had asked for them with such insistence, and I had finally given in. From that day onwards it became a nightmare, he created fake profiles on social networks and published my naked photos, even including my telephone number. From that day onwards loads of boys started sending me their nude photos and some even suggested offering me money for sex. I couldn't tell my parents because they didn't even know I was going out with someone. At that moment everything came crashing down. My heart rate accelerated, I didn't know what to do… I called my best friend in desperation to tell her and she accompanied me to the school counsellor to tell her about it. She advised me to report it to the police.

DRISSA

16 years

The day I turned 12 my mother told me that in the summer we would return to Mali on holiday after 5 years. I knew that my older sisters had gone there on holiday 5 years ago and that when they got there they went through genital mutilation. Since that day I'm very nervous, I can't sleep well and I'm very scared that the same could happen to me. I'm very tired in the mornings at school. On Tuesday my teacher noticed and had a chat with me. I told her everything.

MIREN

26 years

I was born into a very large family, and we spent many weekends and holidays in our grandparents' house.

As my parents worked I was often left in the care of my grandmother and grandfather, who had always loved me dearly and taken very good care of me.

I remember that as a very small child I didn't mind when my grandfather greeted me with a kiss on the mouth, or he played what he called "funny farts" between the legs, but as I grew up it became increasingly unpleasant. I couldn't share it with anyone.

At the age of 9 I started to develop, and all the adults started making comments about my body, that my breasts were growing, that I was becoming a woman…

Coinciding with these changes, my grandfather's approaches became increasingly uncomfortable, to the point that I didn't want to go to his house. I couldn't tell anyone.

One day my mother proposed, as was usual, that I spend the afternoon at my grandparents' house, and for the first time I responded that I didn't want to. That I would prefer to stay at the play centre or that I could even go with her to her job. My mother, surprised, asked why I didn't want to go, and I couldn't answer, I started crying and couldn't stop.

RUTH

43 years

We've worked together for several years, and the relationship has always been very close. There had never been anything between us except for a working relationship and friendship.

One day he told me he had separated, that his wife had proposed giving the relationship some time off and that he was having a very rough time.

After that we have gone out for a drink several times with other colleagues on Friday after work.

And the truth is that he is drinking a lot and very fast, so when the rest of us have had one beer he is already on his second or third. At these moments I have started to notice that he comes too close and becomes more affectionate than normal.

No one seems to notice and they all find it funny, colleagues encourage him and tell him he needs to have fun and… well, you know what I mean.

But I feel increasingly uncomfortable with his approaches, and sometimes I have the feeling that he is harassing me, but the others don't see it…

He reproaches me, saying that I've been cold towards him for the last few weeks, and I've even said no to going out with the people from work. I feel increasingly isolated and less motivated to work.

IRATI

30 years

At 05:00 in the morning, I decided to return home on foot, I was very close.

And a few metres from my home, a man approached me from behind covering my nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

I lost consciousness after this and woke up in a doorway far from my home. I felt disorientated and didn't know what time it was nor where I was. He was still touching me over my clothes, I was very scared. I managed to scream and kick him, until I managed to escape from his arms and ran while he chased me.

I found a man passing by in the street and he helped me by calling 112.

The ambulance took me to the hospital, where I was examined by two gynaecologists. They offered to continue the procedure at the police station, but I was very tired and a patrol accompanied me home, where I had to explain what had happened to my mother.

The following day I was taken again to the police station to file a report, with the help of a social worker and a lawyer.