Maria Ioannou shares a powerful message about the need to talk openly about sexual abuse. She shared her 9-year journey through psychotherapy, highlighting how specialists and support from friends and family helped her deal with anger and guilt.
Her story encourages others who faced similar situations to seek help. She reminds us that guilt is never the victim’s fault. Recovery takes time, patience, and support, but it is possible to overcome negative emotions and rebuild your life.
“I spoke about sexual abuse from the victim’s perspective. […] I felt ready to share my story now, hoping anyone listening knows there are ways to cope. Without effort, it doesn’t just disappear. It stays with you, but you can eventually free yourself from it. […] Victims often grow up feeling guilty, as if it’s their fault; I carried this for many years. It’s crucial to let go of that,” she said on the show “With Love Christiana” with Christiana Aristotelous.
Her message not only tells her personal story but also inspires others to seek help and realize that guilt never belongs to the victim.
“Through therapy, I learned to let go of anger. The first part of my therapy lasted six years, and the current part has been three years; so I’ve spent a total of 9 years in therapy. Last year, I felt healed from guilt. All my anger disappeared when that person left my life. I never confronted him or spoke to him; he was cut off from my life thanks to my parents. I would never have dared to discuss it with him at any age. It was a team effort with therapists and friends,”
