These stories are inspired by the real experiences of young people shared with us at Rosie’s Place, stories of challenge, courage, and searching for doors that lead away from harm and toward safety and dignity.

These stories contain material that some readers may find confronting and unsettling. Words or images may bring up feelings of sadness or discomfort, especially for people who have been subjected to sexual harm.

If you need support, you can contact: Kids Helpline (24/7) 1800 55 1800 or 1800 RESPECT (24/7) 1800 737 732

Quick exit

Chapter 1

Carly’s Story

Tahlia and I were waiting for the train like we do every day after school.

Everyone was just standing around looking at their phones, texting each other, even though we were standing together.

We were looking at the photos we took on the weekend when a few of us went swimming at the lake.

"Check out this one..."

"OMG... That photo you took of me is hilarious!"

When we stopped laughing, we could hear the guys next to us talking about some girls further down the platform.

"She’s a loser!"

"Too fat!"

"Too thin!"

"She’s just ugly."

Tahlia and I stared at them, so they knew we had heard them.

So often, they tried to pull you into their horrible conversations.

Should you laugh with them?

Should you smile and say nothing?

Should you look away?

But you know that if you do, you will become one of the girls they talk about... laugh about... and shame.

This time I had to speak up.

"What makes you think you are so hot? Are your bodies "perfect"?!"

"Why do you think it's OK to talk like that about others in our school, including people you call your "friends"?"

"Or so I thought they were your friends."

They just stared back and said nothing...

...then Joseph started laughing.

He held up his phone.

"Smile!"

The train pulled in and Tahlia and I slumped on a seat in the first carriage.

"Those guys are jerks."

"I hate when they talk like that."

"I just want to keep thinking about the weekend and how much fun it was."

"We took such good photos."

My phone dinged and up came a message from Joseph.

I looked down at the message and hoped it might be a “Sorry”, but instead it was the photo he took of me earlier.

I knew it was my face but not my body. He had swapped my face onto the body of a woman wearing only a bra.

Joseph
3:58 pm
Slut for sale 🤑
Pixellated image of Carly

As I stared at the photo, another message came up.

Joseph
3:59 pm
Send me your real body naked and this goes away.
I sat there just staring. I felt sick. But then I thought “No way”, and sent Joseph a reply...
Reply to Joseph
3:59 pm
The thing is you do not seem to like real bodies. Only fake ones. BTW just so you know I have taken a screenshot of what you sent - picture and all.

He did not reply. Tahlia tapped me on the shoulder...

"Are you OK? You seem to be somewhere else?"

"I have to show you what Joseph sent me."

"I can't believe he would do this."

I was trying not to cry when my phone dinged again. And then Tahlia’s phone dinged…

And Fiona’s...

...and Paul’s...

...and Simons’s...

...and everyone else’s.

"Hey!"

"Woah!"

Tahlia looked at her phone and then at me. The whole carriage was looking at me.

I felt the train spinning and I wished I could just disappear.

The phones keep dinging and with each message there was another picture of my face on another woman’s body.

"We need to go!"

"We need to tell someone what has happened."

"Go where? I can't go anywhere. I can't move."

Tahlia pulled me up and we walked toward the carriage door.

A young woman who had been sitting near us stood up and came over. She was a few years older than us and she was dressed in a work uniform that I did not recognise. She leaned in and whispered.

"You will be OK. Just look after each other."

"I hope so. Thanks."

We were just about to step off the train when Tahlia turned around.

"This could have happened to any of you. None of you asked if Carly was OK."

"This is not over, Joseph."

"Come on Carly. Let's go."