“I Had Been Raped By Two Men By The Time I Was Eight Years Old”

No One In Nur Umaira’s Family Knows She’s Living With The Trauma Of Being Sexually Abused As A Child. Since Then, She’s Also Had To Endure Illness And A Volatile Relationship With Her Parents.

Nur Umaira, now 28, is no stranger to the unpredictability of life. It’s probably also why she chooses a solitary life for herself. Sexually abused when she was only five years old, she is very shy and always keeps herself at a safe distance from men, who trigger her devastating memories of abuse.

Born into a middle-class family, her father worked as a police officer and her mother ran a small business. As they were always busy, Umaira was taught to be independent from young. She was a cheerful and carefree child, who enjoyed playing with her friends and cousins. But, that idyllic childhood disappeared overnight when she was sexually assaulted by none other than her own uncle. He was 23 years old that time.

“Even though I was a young child when it happened, the incident became etched in my mind. Because he’s family, I didn’t hesitate when he beckoned for me to enter the room with him. He’d told me he wanted to play with me, so I was really naïve and agreed to undress for him. Once my clothes were off, I was raped before I could even react. He then made me swear to not say a word, and threatened to beat me up if I let the cat out of the bag,” says Umaira.

Forced to give up her childhood innocence, Umaira knew she no longer could feel safe at home. With her uncle living not far away from her house, staying home alone would mean being vulnerable to his debauchery. The young man continued to act shamelessly around her, showing no ounce of remorse for what he’d done.