As an Advocate I choose to talk about my abuse, hiding it just made me angry. [bristleconeproject.org]

If you survived a painful childhood, it is important to do what you have to do to get stronger. As far as telling people - only my opinion, but don't share until a good trust level has been established. If the wrong people find out that you survived incest, beatings, 20 foster homes, etc. - they have a knife to cut you with. I have read articles about child abuse survivors being "outed" - someone finds out, either by getting info out of the child abuse survivor or by snooping, and spreads around the information, nasty gossip and backstabbing. I have heard of abuse survivors getting "outed" and being dumped by friends, ostracized and ridiculed at work, etc. At a couple of jobs I flat out lied when intrusive bosses interrogated me about my family background. I knew that if I refused to answer their invasive questions, or if I gave honest answers, I would be out of a job. Of course I left those toxic jobs. But keep in mind that some people are cruel and they love to throw acid into open wounds. They love to kick a person who is down.