It shouldn't have happened to you

But you survived. And your story's just begun.

Trigger warning: This letter contains themes of sexual abuse, betrayal, trauma & childhood violation. Please read with care, and honour your limits. Your safety matters more than the story.

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Written by Billie Moon | Illustrated by atom

I know what it’s like to carry shame that was never yours, kid.

The silence. The shame. The way the world looked at me like I brought it on myself. Like the wound was my fault. I didn’t choose this. And yet somehow, it became mine to carry.

Maybe you’ve been trying to make sense of it. To hold it together. To carry on like nothing broke. Maybe you’ve even told yourself it was your fault, because that lie was easier than facing the truth:

That someone took something from us.
That someone crossed a line they never should’ve.
And that the people who were meant to protect us didn’t.

That kind of betrayal doesn’t just hurt. It rewires how we see the world. How we see ourselves.

But here’s the thing:
What happened wasn’t our fault.

Not the pain. Not the silence. Not the aftermath we had to survive just to make it through another day. What happened to us does not define who we are, or what kind of future we deserve. We are not ruined. We are not broken. We are not too much to be loved.

And we are still here. That is a goddamn miracle.

Someone once stole your power.
But look at you now. Still breathing, still choosing.
Still writing the next chapter.

And this time?
You get to decide what happens next.
Every scarred, fierce, and radiant part of it.

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Contributor

Sar x (33, Australia)
Single mum, author, proud neurodivergent
At sixteen, Sar became pregnant. Long before she was ready, and not by choice. The pregnancy came from a situation where she hadn’t consented, and she gave birth in the darkest mental space she’d ever known. But when she saw her son, how he came into the world no longer mattered. She made a vow to break the cycle and give him everything she never had.

“That moment was when I stopped carrying shame for something that was never mine to hold”, she said. “I realised that none of it had been my fault—but what came next was my choice”.

Now, she’s raising her son with fierce love and safety.

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For the kid still listening

• What lie have you been carrying that was never yours to begin with?

• Who was supposed to protect you, and how did they fall short?

• What beliefs about yourself did you carry because of someone else’s actions?

• What did you need to hear back then, but no one ever said?

• What would change if you believed your story is still yours to write?

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How to submit your story

Want to get featured in our posts and eventually in our printed books?

We’re gathering true stories to turn into weekly illustrated letters and a future print anthology. Every 15 letters will become an 80-page illustrated book you can hold, gift, or return to whenever you need to feel less alone. If your story is selected, you’ll be tagged as a co-author in every post and credited in the final book.

It’s simple! No fancy writing skills needed. Just head over to our submission form, and answer three questions:

1. In 10 words, what do you wish someone told you when you were younger?

2. What happened that made you realise that?

3. What do you hope someone else feels when they read this?

We’ll gather a few responses around each theme and shape them into one illustrated message, crediting each voice and including them in the final print volume. We’ll also ask for a few personal details—like your age, location, or role—not to label you, but to give readers context. To gently prove that this is universal. No matter where we’re from, how old we are, or what we do, we all carry a child who needed more.

You’re welcome to submit more than once if different themes speak to you. We’d love to hear them all. However, we only feature each emotional theme once. If a topic’s already been covered, we may reach out to suggest a different prompt.

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Let’s build something that matters together.

If this letter hit home, drop us a comment, give it a restack, or share it to someone who needs it. Check out the rest of the Listen Up, Kid series while you wait for the next letter.

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And if you’d like to help keep the lights on while I raise my daughter, two cats, and pour my heart into stories like this, consider becoming a paid subscriber, get my book, or simply a virtual hug filled with kindness. It makes a real difference.