A woman who had been sexually assaulted by her father for three years during her teens held a news conference Tuesday in the city of Toyama, disclosing her real name in hopes that sharing her story will empower other victims of such abuse to speak out.

Riho Fukuyama, 24, said she was initially conflicted about whether to reveal her real name to the public.

But eventually, she came to realize she had done nothing wrong, and that this is the case for everyone who has experienced sexual abuse.

“I don’t feel the need to hide,” she said. “I am not ashamed of myself.”

Fukuyama said her father assaulted her on at least eight occasions over three years when her mother was not home.

On March 6, her 52-year-old father was reportedly arrested on suspicion of rape. He has remained silent since his arrest.

Her lawyer said that they filed a criminal complaint against her father in June last year after coming to the conclusion that it was not possible to resolve the matter within the family. Her relatives had suggested that the matter be swept under the rug.

Fukuyama said at the time she felt so overwhelmed by a variety of emotions that she felt as if she would break, like her soul had been stripped away.

“I wondered if I could even get married. I wondered if I had become tainted,” she said, adding that when she was younger, she worried that her relatives would be saddened if they had found out; she felt like she had to work hard to hide it all.

Fukuyama said the abuse ended when she confided in the nurse at her high school and was able to have the situation reported to a child consultation center, after which she was temporarily placed under protection.

Once taken into protective custody, Fukuyama said she worried about how her mother might react once she found out about the assaults. Being just a high school student then, she also worried about her future.

After her release from protective custody, Fukuyama said her father moved out of the family home in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, to an apartment just behind it. And while she didn't feel as fearful as before she came under protective custody, she still felt anxious up until she left for Tokyo to go to university.

She said the emotional damage felt particularly significant when she was in university, where she took classes on child care. She experienced flashbacks whenever she did case studies that involved abuse. This made it difficult for her to attend classes, which kept her away from school for a period of time.

She said there are still days when she experiences physical symptoms such as a loss of appetite due to nausea. She has resorted to taking medication for relief.

“I still find it painful that we are still connected by blood,” she said at the news conference, adding that she wanted him to acknowledge what he had done so that she wouldn't have to feel that way, even if it's just a little bit.

Fukuyama believes there are many people who have experienced or are experiencing domestic sexual violence like she did, though most are choosing to keep such abuse under wraps.

“I hope that by sharing my story with my real name, and by showing my face to everyone, this can lead to some change in society, that we can put an end to these kinds of abuses.”