know that what was happening to me was a crime, I had a wrong idea: that [if] rape happens, it is something that happens in a dark alley by a stranger. My parents didn't know that incestuous rape was a crime, we had never heard of this type of crime. The aggressor, like other aggressors, is very clever at keeping the victim silent. He was an adult, part of my family, he had to guide me, he had to protect me, he was the person who had to show me and that I had to see the world through his eyes. I never thought about what he was doing to me... I hated it, but I couldn't give it a name, I couldn't understand that it was a crime. Furthermore, he filled me with fear. He did not use physical violence during the act of rape, but he did worse at other times; He hit me, threw me to the ground, kicked me, and tortured the animals. I knew what he was capable of, I knew what he could do to me if I didn't do what he wanted. I was full of fear. I didn't even dare to confront him or question what he was doing. 191 99. With the set of circumstances contributing to the fact that incestuous rape is not revealed (and, consequently, investigated and punished), it is essential that the State act to widely disseminate the illicit and reprehensible nature of this conduct, mobilizing everything its apparatus to facilitate, to the greatest extent possible, dialogues on the topic and reports of its occurrence. Breaking the cycle of abuse depends on exposing the secret. 192 In this sense, laws are especially important because (i) they provide the appropriate framework and tools to punish offenders and protect victims through criminal justice and child protection systems; (ii) they serve as protective measures to deter potential perpetrators of sexual violence when they are widely disseminated and understood; and (iii) when combined with public awareness campaigns and training of authorities, they serve to accelerate cultural and social change. In child sexual abuse expert Dr. David Finkelhor's summary, "[t]he most basic thing the criminal justice system can do about a crime is to increase its detection and disclosure and the likelihood that the offender will be apprehended and prosecuted.” 193 100. It is especially relevant, therefore, that the State acts to raise awareness among families about the importance of fully supporting a child who is a victim of abuse. When a victim overcomes all obstacles to reporting and breaks the silence, the abuse can have even more destructive effects if they do not receive the expected support. 194 Additionally, when the abuse is revealed in a supportive environment and the victim feels protected and respected, they can finally begin their healing process, restore their perception of security and reinforce their self-esteem, becoming less vulnerable to new attacks. 195 The State must also have a supportive attitude to avoid victimization during investigative and judicial procedures. The crucial nature of this approach is evident in the testimony of Ms. Losada, who testified before this Court that “[t]wenty years later, I still have night terrors, and post-traumatic stress syndrome, and it has more to do with the actions of the prosecutors, forensic doctors and judges, rather than the rapes themselves.” 196 191 Cf. Statement by Brisa De Angulo Losada at the public hearing before the Court audiencia on March 29, 2022. 192 Cf. FURNISS, Tilman. The Multiprofessional Handbook of Child Sexual Abuse. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas, 1993. 193 Cf. Together for Girls. Preventing Sexual Violence Against Children. Available at: https://www.togetherforgirls.org/svsolutions/. Accessed on November 29, 2022. 194 Cf. DURRANT, Michael; WHITE, Cheryl. Terapia del abuso sexual. España: Gedisa, 1993. 195 Cf. RANGEL, Patricia Calmon. Abuso sexual intrafamiliar recorrente. Curitiba: Juruá, 2001. 196 Cf. Statement of Brisa De Angulo Losada at Public Hearing before the Court on March 29, 2022. 34