Milia was brought up by her abusive aunt: "I was a martyred child"

Milia was brought up by her abusive aunt who beat her.

When she was around ten, she returned to live with her parents, but was rejected by her siblings.

At the microphone of Olivier Delacroix, in "La Libre antenna" of Europe 1, Milia evokes the painful memories of her childhood.

TESTIMONY

After giving birth, Milia's mother fell ill.

Milia was then entrusted to her aunt, who raised her.

Until the age of 10, she was beaten by the latter.

When she returned to live with her parents, Milia experienced another ordeal.

She was rejected by her siblings who mistreated and hit her.

In "La Libre antenna" of Europe 1, Milia explains that it is by helping others that she has managed to rebuild herself. 

>> Listen to Milia's testimony in full here

“I am the fourth in a family of eight children. After giving birth my mother fell ill. My siblings were very young, so my mother had to entrust me to her sister to raise me. Didn't know what she was capable of. Nobody knew. There was also my grandmother. My aunt would hit me. I knew the beatings until I was 10 or 11 years old. I was a child Martyred, submissive to her aunt, and nobody said anything. We were afraid of her, especially the neighbors. She was a very hard and authoritarian person. 

My parents were never there, since they were gone.

They thought I was happy with my aunt.

My mother took care of the other children and my father worked.

My aunt told me that she was my mother and that my mother was my aunt.

But when I saw my mother, I would run after her and hold her hand.

She kissed me and behaved like a mom.

I didn't understand and didn't ask questions because I was a little girl who didn't speak.

I was very withdrawn.  

"

She tied me to the foot of a bed and hit me with a belt

"

Once she sent me shopping.

I was playing hopscotch and didn't see the time go by.

She tied me to the foot of a bed and hit me with a belt.

I was covered in blood.

When my grandmother came home, she took me to the hospital.

My aunt told her I did this to myself.

Another day, she sent me shopping.

I took advantage of this moment to go to the Post Office.

I sent a telegram to my parents telling them to come urgently because their daughter was dying. 

My mother got on the plane and came straight away.

When she arrived, I ran towards her.

She didn't understand that I was in great shape, when the telegram said I was dying.

The neighbors took her aside and told her that I was being beaten by her sister.

She and my aunt talked to each other.

Obviously, my aunt fought back.

My mother undressed me to see the marks I had on my body.

I remember she said nothing more to him and she gathered my things. 

"

My brothers and sisters said I was not their sister

"

When I arrived at my parents' place, I was not accepted by my brothers and sisters.

It was another context of suffering.

I was 11 years old.

My older sister was jealous of me, she didn't want me to be better dressed than she was.

Although my aunt tortured me, she was a seamstress and made me pretty things.

My mom was defending me.

I began to know what the love of a mother to her daughter was.

It was happiness.

But I was struck by my brother, who always resented me because I had not been raised with them. 

My brothers and sisters rejected me, they said that I was not their sister.

It was hard.

One day I left home.

I was 17 or 18.

I went to a friend of my mother's house.

I left a letter to my mother who joined me, she did not understand why I had left.

All because I couldn't express things.

In fact, I lived with my brothers and sisters what I had lived with my aunt.

I couldn't defend myself, yet I had my mom's love. 

>> Find Olivier Delacroix's Libre antenna in replay and podcast here

This life that I lived until I was 20 was an everyday nightmare.

I consulted a psychiatrist to externalize the pain and regain my self-confidence.

Reaching out to others has helped me grow.

I felt this need to help people.

This is what I have always done.

I was president of an association.

Having created an association really saved me.

I rebuilt myself and became myself. 

I left my whole family.

I only saw my mom.

My mother knew I didn't want to see anyone.

With my mother, I did a lot of things.

We traveled and vacationed together.

Until now, I have lived without a family.

I don't know what it's like to have a family since my mother passed away.

I have no news from my brothers and sisters and I am not trying to hear from them.

I made a new family.

My friends have become my family.

"