Hi, my name’s Chloe. I’m 13, and I want to share something I’ve never told anyone before until yesterday. It’s something I’ve carried for as long as I can remember.

Since I was 8, my dad has hurt me in ways I didn’t even understand were wrong back then. He’d touch me when no one else was around, and if I tried to stop him or said no, he’d hit me. It hasn’t happened for a while now, but I still feel scared. When I’m home alone with him, I have to get out of the house and go for a walk. It’s the only way I feel safe.

The hardest part? I know my mum wouldn’t believe me if I told her. She always takes his side. That makes me so angry. I don’t understand why she won’t stand up for me—or for my little brother. He’s only 7. I need to protect him, and it’s why I’m still here.

Sometimes, it all feels like too much. I imagine what it would be like to just disappear, but I can’t leave my brother. He needs me.

I thought no one would ever believe me if I told them. I didn’t even know that what my dad did to me was wrong. I thought maybe it was my fault. But last night, I picked up the phone and called 0800 What’s Up.

I don’t know why I called, but I’m glad I did.

The person on the other end of the line listened to me. They didn’t interrupt. They didn’t judge me. For the first time, I told someone what had happened. And they believed me!

They told me I was brave. They said it wasn’t my fault. And when I heard that, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time: relief. It’s like when you finally let the truth out about something you’ve been keeping secret for years. It’s scary—but it’s freeing too.

They told me I had options. I could talk to the police or Oranga Tamariki, and they’d support me no matter what I decided. That’s when I thought of my aunty. She might believe me. She might help me. They encouraged me to try—and to call back whenever I needed someone to talk to.

For the first time, I feel like I’m not alone. And maybe—just maybe—that things might get better for me and my brother.

But I know this for sure: if 0800 What’s Up hadn’t been there when I called, I wouldn’t be here sharing my story with you. That call might have saved my life.

A safe space to talk - By 0800 What's Team Leader, Dharshana Ponnampalam

When the call came through, I could tell right away that something was weighing heavily on the young person on the other end of the line. Chloe introduced herself hesitantly and said she wanted to talk about her trauma. I encouraged her to take her time, and slowly, she began to share her experience.

Since a young age, her dad has hurt her in ways she didn’t even understand were wrong at the time. She said it hadn’t happened for a while, but I could tell she was still scared.

After opening up, Chloe went quiet, and then, almost in a whisper, she admitted that sometimes she thought about ending her life. “But I can’t,” she said. “I have to stay for my brother. He needs me.”

I asked her if she’d ever told anyone about what had happened. “No,” she said. “I didn’t think anyone would believe me.”

I said that none of this was her fault and that she’d been incredibly brave to tell me. I assured her that I believed her. When I said those words, I could hear a change in her voice. “I feel a bit of relief,” she said after a long silence. “It’s that feeling when you finally tell the truth.”

We talked about her options.

When the call ended, I sat back for a moment, thinking about how much courage it must have taken for her to pick up the phone and share her story. She was so brave.

"It’s that feeling when you finally let the truth out"