Episode 6
I cried a river of tears
From early childhood, he endured relentless abuse: poisoned by his mother, burned with an iron, raped by his father from age nine, and later groomed and assaulted by an uncle. His home was a prison of violence, humiliation, and silence—where even his cries went unanswered, and his own mother chose his abusers over him. He survived by dissociating, hiding in the bush with his dog, and clinging to rare moments of kindness—especially from a compassionate uncle who showed him love was possible. It took until age 55 to speak his truth in therapy, burdened by shame and fear of being seen as “less of a man.” Now nearing 60, he has broken ties with his family, built a life of integrity, and found hard-won peace. His message is clear: The evil wasn’t his—it was theirs. And to the child still hiding in the hole: you are not alone, and you did nothing wrong.
Narrator: Rob Carlton
Rob Carlton - ACTOR | WRITER | DIRECTOR
Rob Carlton, a Logie winning actor, an AWGIE winning writer and award winning director and producer. Rob has been a professional actor since he was 14 years old. A recognised face in Australia for both comedy and drama, his credits span TV, film and theatre. Rob’s breakout role of Kerry Packer in the Paper Giants franchise saw him nominated for an Australian Academy Award as well as winning the Logie for most outstanding performance in a drama. Rob is also a proud ambassador for SAMSN.