Sexual abuse survivor Charlene Masterson says she's determined not to let her father's abuse control her anymore.
Last month, David Masterson, originally from Tallaght in west Dublin, was jailed for 17 years for the blackmail and rape of his daughter over a seven-and-a-half-year period.
Charlene Masterson was just 18 when her father began to trick her into performing sex acts on him.
He blackmailed her by pretending to be someone else, who was threatening to send details of online chats she was having with boys to her father’s workplace.
He insisted she wear a blindfold and headphones with the music turned fully up.
She only realised it was him years later when she found a secret video recording.
Charlene, who is now 32, waived her anonymity so she could speak publicly about her experience, in the hopes of helping other abuse survivors.
She told The Pat Kenny Show the experience at the time of the abuse left her “emotionally battered and broken".
The abuse continued on for several years even after she discovered her father was responsible.
However, changes in her behaviour prompted a friend to ask Charlene directly if she was being abused by her father.
Charlene recalled: “She asked in March 2014, and I said no… but very unemotional. I just said no, really cool and collected. She kept on my case for the next three months, until I finally said yes.
“She told my mum, and he was forced to leave the family home. There was never any doubt… my mum is an amazing woman. There was always support and belief from her - thankfully, because I know not everyone’s story ends that way.
“[My mum's] still heartbroken to this day. But I say it to anyone: if my mum had been in our family home for 23 hours out of 24 hours of the day, he’d have gotten to me in that hour. This is what these type of people do - they will get to you, no matter what.”
For Charlene, giving a statement to gardaí was the first time she spoke to anyone about a lot of what had happened.
She says telling her story out loud was the hardest bit, amid doubt and fear in the back of her mind that she wouldn't be believed.
She said: “I’m very aware this story is unbelievable in parts - it sounds quite far-fetched. Then there’s also the fear will the DPP take up the case.
“It is tough, but now I’m at that other end… it was worth it.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel - if anyone is listening that is considering it, I would say do it. There is a lot of support, even though you might think there isn’t. There definitely is.”
"The judge took it seriously"
Charlene says no sentence will ever be enough for her father, but she was surprised at the severity of the sentence she received.
She said: "Looking at historical cases in the past… he may have only got eight or nine [years], and been out in five. But the headline sentence here was actually 24 - which absolutely floored me.
"I wasn’t expecting something like that. It showed the judge took it seriously."
Charlene didn't have a typical student life. She didn't go travelling or have relationships. She still doesn't know if relationships will be part of her life in the future.
However, she is now "getting stronger every day" - and wants to be seen as a survivor, not a victim.
She said: “I think there’s a stigma around victims… the victims of these crimes are always portrayed as weak and hurt. It is hurtful - I’m not going to say it’s not, or that it’s an easy road.
"But it doesn’t have to determine the rest of your life - it controlled me for seven and a half years, and I’m determined not to let it control me anymore.”
'I'm getting stronger every day,'
Sexual abuse survivor Charlene Masterson says she's determined to become a voice for survivors.@PatKennyNT pic.twitter.com/HK03eQ7gSm— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) August 9, 2021
The end of the legal proceedings opened a door for Charlene, and she's now determined to become a voice for abuse survivors.
She said: “What I would like to change… I’d love to get into schools and talk to people.
"There needs to be more awareness around little signs and triggers… things they can see in their day-to-day life and in their friends or work colleagues that might trigger the help they need.”
For support and information related to sexual violence, you can contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's 24-hour helpline on 1800-77-8888
