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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Matt Payton

8-year-old girl 'contracted HIV after being raped by football coach'

An eight-year-old girl allegedly contracted HIV after being repeatedly raped by her football coach, an Australian commission has heard.

In a statement read on her behalf, the girl told the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse she was brought into the coach's bedroom by his wife who then allegedly stayed to watch her getting raped.

Referred to by the hearing as BXA, she said: "I would see her watching and when I would look at her, she would look away."

News.com/au reported the girl, now aged 27, said she was signed up to the under-10s club based in Sydney by her mother in 1996.

BXA would regularly stay with the coach, identified as BXK, and his wife on Friday nights.

When she was 11, she told a school friend about the abuse. The school found out and then contacted New South Wales Department of Community Services (DoCS).

BXA gave evidence against BXK when she was 13 but he was acquitted.

In 2003, he was jailed after pleading guilty to multiple counts of abusing other children.

BXA said she first felt ill aged 13 and was diagnosed as HIV positive aged 15.

She believes BXK is responsible as she had not received blood transfusions, taken drugs or had sexual contact with anyone else.

The hearing heard BXK continued coaching for a further two years until Soccer NSW, now Football NSW, found out about the BXA rape charge.

The Royal Commission is holding a two-week-long hearing into sporting clubs and institutions.

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