Brittany Hogan: Ireland forward says ‘rugby saved my life’ after childhood abuse

Warning: This article contains references to rape and sexual abuse

“It’s made me such a resilient person. I’m 26 now, and I’ve gone through what some people go through in a lifetime.”

In her own words, Brittany Hogan has been through “a lot” in her life.

Growing up she was a victim of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a person she trusted, saying now that she found the “confidence and courage” to reveal it to her mum after watching a TV show.

Aged 15 she discovered rugby and believes the sport “saved” her life as she navigated through her next steps.

Now, she’s playing at a World Cup for Ireland and, while her past is part of her journey, she is determined that it will not define her either.

“I’ve experienced quite a lot of trauma,” said the 26-year-old.

“I was actually watching an episode of Desperate Housewives, the same kind of thing happened to one of their characters.

“It gave me the confidence and the courage to speak up. I told my mum when I was 12 or 13 what happened to me and she was brilliant.”