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They Stole My Innocence
'Lying in the prison of my bed, his dark silhouette closes in, a pillow in his hands. My throat tightens in fear…’
At the tender age of five, Madeleine was living a daily nightmare. In a dark, grey building on Jersey, she was just another orphan, defenceless and alone. She was also an easy target.
Unbeknownst to the outside world, the care home manager was abusing her, using her like she was his toy. “Say nothing, no one will believe a nasty little kid like you,” he’d whisper. Terrified, Madeleine would keep quiet. And, worse still, the home was selling the children to men who would inflict on them the worst possible abuse. No one cared.
This is Madeleine’s heart-breaking story and her fight to survive.
At the tender age of five, Madeleine was living a daily nightmare. In a dark, grey building on Jersey, she was just another orphan, defenceless and alone. She was also an easy target.
Unbeknownst to the outside world, the care home manager was abusing her, using her like she was his toy. “Say nothing, no one will believe a nasty little kid like you,” he’d whisper. Terrified, Madeleine would keep quiet. And, worse still, the home was selling the children to men who would inflict on them the worst possible abuse. No one cared.
This is Madeleine’s heart-breaking story and her fight to survive.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2015
31 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 6, 2017
So proud of this woman for telling her appalling and disgusting story of how she was treated in Jersey. She surely gives hope to many others who were too scared to speak up for themselves. The perpetrators are not human beings, they are lower than pond life, for no one with a heart would treat small children in this terrifying, upsetting and painful manner. I hope their justice is swift and their sentence is slow.
August 14, 2025
Madeleine, you are such a force of nature
August 23, 2017
Some, in their desire to eradicate their memories, have lost themselves.
After reading the book, my emotions are too raw to write a detailed review as of now. May be one day I could.
This is one of those books which cannot be appraised in terms of it's literary brilliance.
This book sheds lights on the life of tortured innocent children at Jersey Care Home and how those memories are woven into their everyday life like tenacious hands of fear and despair.
When it comes to abuse, be it emotional, physical or sexual I find it very disturbing and it squeezes the living light out of me. I found myself repeatedly with tears in my eyes. I went through few of the articles written about the Jersey care home and the information about the abuse was heartbreaking.
May the victims find peace and happiness in their remaining days. May they heal.
After reading the book, my emotions are too raw to write a detailed review as of now. May be one day I could.
This is one of those books which cannot be appraised in terms of it's literary brilliance.
This book sheds lights on the life of tortured innocent children at Jersey Care Home and how those memories are woven into their everyday life like tenacious hands of fear and despair.
When it comes to abuse, be it emotional, physical or sexual I find it very disturbing and it squeezes the living light out of me. I found myself repeatedly with tears in my eyes. I went through few of the articles written about the Jersey care home and the information about the abuse was heartbreaking.
May the victims find peace and happiness in their remaining days. May they heal.
October 12, 2016
Sad
This book will touch a lot of people as most of us knew the scandal around the Jimmy saville era. Well done for a true heroine to speak out. Well put together by the authors. Fantastic read.
This book will touch a lot of people as most of us knew the scandal around the Jimmy saville era. Well done for a true heroine to speak out. Well put together by the authors. Fantastic read.
February 5, 2023
C’est un livre très touchant et bouleversant. Le courage de cette femme d’avoir pu partager son passé a des lecteurs comme nous et le courage de toute ces personnes qui ont osé porté plainte. J’en avais les larmes aux yeux tout le long et j’ai pris conscience de beaucoup de choses. Si j’ai un/e enfant j’aurai tellement peur qu’il lui arrive ce genre de chose et que je ne sois au courant que tard ou que je sois au courant et rien ne marche rien ne fait effet. Voilà une des raisons pour laquelle je ne veux pas d’enfant (pas que évidemment). Je trouve ça degueulasse qu’on puisse violer quelqu’un mais encore plus quand c’est un enfant !!!! Ils ne sont pas encore formés ect (dans tous les cas le viol/agression ne sont pas à prendre à la légère et dans tous les cas c’est horrible de faire ça et aucune raison selon l’agresseur n’est valable.) C’est tout bonnement pas humain de pouvoir faire ça sans honte/culpabilité. Je donne énormément de courage à toute ces personnes et faites attention à vos proches.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2021
It was a sad and horrid childhood (if we can still call that childhood), and the home was described so vividly dark and depressing, so much so that I had nightmares after reading that one night. I could almost feel the fear and the atmosphere as depicted in the book.
I also like the fact that the recollections were presented in a slightly scattered form, it reasonates with how the author related or remembered the past.
A depressing read but a very well-written book.
I also like the fact that the recollections were presented in a slightly scattered form, it reasonates with how the author related or remembered the past.
A depressing read but a very well-written book.
August 8, 2020
Sad
Being a survivor of sexual abuse made me read this book, it made me sick, you really should be allowed to kill certain people.,I cried reading this book, you just have to ask yourself why nobody’s really goes to jail for the crimes . A brave lady to write this, I respect her and wish her good things in life
Being a survivor of sexual abuse made me read this book, it made me sick, you really should be allowed to kill certain people.,I cried reading this book, you just have to ask yourself why nobody’s really goes to jail for the crimes . A brave lady to write this, I respect her and wish her good things in life
December 3, 2017
This is a truly heartbreaking story. I was drawn in right from the first page and was unable to put it down. Many kudos to the author for being strong enough & brave enough to share her harrowing story.
January 16, 2018
Very sad but amazing story of a very brave lady
Very sad and painful to hear but the strength and braveness of a truly amazing lady. I hope justice gets back to all the terrible people that committed these crimes.
Very sad and painful to hear but the strength and braveness of a truly amazing lady. I hope justice gets back to all the terrible people that committed these crimes.
August 28, 2017
Heartbreaking
This book is a real eye opener i wish u all the best maddie u are one strong lady xxx
This book is a real eye opener i wish u all the best maddie u are one strong lady xxx
December 29, 2017
Lost for Words
Call me nieve, but what I've just read is beyond imagination. It's a pity that these perpetrators can't get what they give. Warm love to the survivors
Call me nieve, but what I've just read is beyond imagination. It's a pity that these perpetrators can't get what they give. Warm love to the survivors
August 11, 2020
WOOW, this was a good one. Page Turner I Couldn't Put The Book Down.
October 20, 2020
Un récit très poignant, mais merveilleusement bien écrit.
April 4, 2021
Absolutely heartbreaking... just hope it’s all true- just so hard to think that there are such evil people in this world. Madeleine is a very strong woman... I hope she’s living a good life now.
October 27, 2021
safe to say this stole my innocence.
but apart from that, have to applaud author for being so brave
but apart from that, have to applaud author for being so brave
November 5, 2021
Heartbreaking
It's a heartbreak read, so sad that people feel the need to hurt others. A brave person I feel so terribly sad about what you want through
It's a heartbreak read, so sad that people feel the need to hurt others. A brave person I feel so terribly sad about what you want through
January 13, 2023
She is very brave fot telling her story.
April 30, 2023
C'est un livre trop dure
September 23, 2019
Review for 'They stole my innocence' by Madeleine Vibert.
A harrowing true story of a young girl who suffered abuse from a very young age by many people who were meant to care for her. It was very sad to read that even when she thought she had finally escaped she was sent straight back into the hands of her abusers not once but several times. This book is also linked in with the Jimmy Savile scandal in the fact that he visited the home involved. Unfortunately towards the end I found that it seemed quite rushed and it seemed to miss a chunk of what eventually happened in the last place she was (won't state where as not to spoil the book for others). For this reason I have given the book 4/5 rather than the 5/5 I felt it deserved up until this point. Anyone else read this?
A harrowing true story of a young girl who suffered abuse from a very young age by many people who were meant to care for her. It was very sad to read that even when she thought she had finally escaped she was sent straight back into the hands of her abusers not once but several times. This book is also linked in with the Jimmy Savile scandal in the fact that he visited the home involved. Unfortunately towards the end I found that it seemed quite rushed and it seemed to miss a chunk of what eventually happened in the last place she was (won't state where as not to spoil the book for others). For this reason I have given the book 4/5 rather than the 5/5 I felt it deserved up until this point. Anyone else read this?
October 29, 2015
Ma chronique *La note ne compte pas* : http://enjoybooksaddict.blogspot.fr/2...
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews