Since the period when she was of just five, Jessica Gardiner lived in terror of being alone at home with her father Peter, who would take benefit of her brother’s weekly karate classes and wait until the family were asleep at night before sneaking into his little girl’s bed.
Jessica, young women now, has exposed how her father sexually abused her for much of her babyhood before she courageously chronicled his admission in secret years later.
Jessica’s mother firstly didn’t trust her when she later opened up about the sexual exploitation and it wasn’t until she confronted her and got an admission and that is where her pursuit for justice instigated.
The courageous woman can now share her tragic story after her father pleaded guilty to eight child abuse charges and was punished recently. Jessica now rejects to refer him as her dad and has issued a powerful message to her abuser father that says: ‘I won, you don’t start a battle when you can’t win a war.’
Jessica said that she think the toughest part is the fact that she was so innocent and susceptible. She said that she don’t know anything eviler that anybody could do to a child. She just had no idea and thought that this is what take place between parents and children and that this was usual.
She remembered that she was petrified of her father while growing up. Her brother used to go to karate lessons and her mother would take him. She remembers that she was so scared for her to leave because she knew what was coming. The exploitation sustained for six years until the age of 11 when Jessica started knowing about sex education at school.
She finally pulled up the courage to tell her mother a year later and was shocked when her father’s denials were believed. He said that it never happened and never would he do that to his daughter. Jessica said that it was like an adult against a child and why does someone believes a child?
10 years later, Jessica then 22, was visiting a friend who had of late had a baby when she understood that she had to take action about her traumatic babyhood. Not long after she was called by police who had received an unidentified tip-off.
But Jessica knew her word against her father wasn’t sufficient and needed proof so she confronted her father about his monstrous crimes in a harrowing phone call that she recorded.
Jessica heard asking to her father that she want to know what was going through his head when he did those things to her. Jessica is heard insisting her father to confess what he did as she demands an explanation and apology.
Jessica’s father heard saying that he didn’t even think of the consequences. He said that he knows that it all happened and not going to deny that time. He said that he cannot apologise enough for it and he don’t know why he did it.
Peter was arrested at his home in the NSW Southern Highlands in March 2021.
Jessica said that she was shattered but calmed at the same time. She said that she had literally sent her father to jail but it was also such a respite.
Peter pleaded guilty to eight child abuse charges including sexual contact with a person under the age of 10 and keeping an unlawful association with a child. Peter appeared via video link and exhibited no sentiment as he was sentenced to least six years and three months behind bars.
Jessica broke her silence in a heartfelt and powerful Facebook post afterwards. She said that ‘You are not a father, you are a paedophile and you are not my father you are my predator,’ she wrote. She further wrote that she fought for justice, not just for her but for every sexual abuse victim.
While Jessica believes that her father should have received a longer sentence but she has put her past behind her and looking forward to the future.
Jessica hopes to one day use her skills to shape a safe haven for women and young children who have absconded from shocking home environs. She also hopes sharing her story will stimulate other sex abuse survivors to speak up and get justice as she delivered one ultimate influential message to the man that raided her of her childhood.
