Has anyone brought charges against their childhood abuser as an adult?

[ALLHAILTHEGLOWCLOUD]

 Has anyone here brought charges against their childhood sexual abuser as an adult? With or without success?  My therapist just mentioned a case where a client of his was able to use the testimony of her mother against her father and he was ruled guilty.

I tried getting a restraining order but basically was told there were no grounds. I don't speak to any of my FOO but if there was a chance this might work I think I could get my mom on board.

I would so so so love my father to go to jail for a long time for what he's done but I'd given up any hope that was possible. If anyone has any experience in this at all and it's not too much to talk about, I would be very grateful for your input.

[Dee]

My dad went to prison when I was 18, but after the abuse was disclosed at 17.  He had a 30 year sentence, but with good time it added up to almost 9 years.  He was not paroled, not released early, but time in prison doesn't count like a regular day.  I remember thinking it was over, but the truth is, it wasn't over.  Prison doesn't make it go away; I now feel that there is a public record of what happened to me.

I am not sure where you are in recovery, but this added another layer to my pain.  Before you proceed make sure you look at everything that change because of this.  I am not saying that this isn't just, or something you shouldn't do; yet I thought it would bring relief and it didn't (for me).  All I am saying is I was so young and I did not fully understand what was going on.  I am working on it in therapy and I hope one day to feel that justice was served and it was the right thing.  I struggle with victim blaming, loss of family, feelings of guilt.  I can google my dad's name and it comes up.  Anyone can do this if they get curious as to what happened.  To make it worse one of the charges was incest.  My name was protected?

Please research, get support, know it isn't easy, and it isn't an eraser.  Make a well informed decision.  My dad did confess and plead guilty, that took a lot off of me.  Also, I know I was one of the few cases that resulted in punishment.  Many people go through this only to have no relief other than knowing they called the abuser out and tried. For some that may be enough.