For the most of her life, Riye Arai-Coupe has worked to keep the evil of her early years in the past.
But when her daughter became five, she recognised she would have to deal with it to save their futures.
The 37-year-old property developer and former Sunshine Coast student attended John Richard Daniel Voronoff’s trial from a Maroochydore courtroom bench with her sister Mika Arai-Coupe and a friend named Ebony-Rose Greene.
Phoebe Staggard, a stepsister from a prior relationship who was a fourth victim, was not there.
The 77-year-old man from Cooloolabin was accused of grooming and abusing his stepdaughters and one of their friends for 13 years, from 1989 to 2002.
When the offences took place, the four girls ranged in age from three to twelve.
Voronoff was accused of maintaining an illicit connection and abusing children on 24 separate occasions.
He was given a seven and a half year prison term on Tuesday.
As the court case came to a close, the women made the decision to forego their legally protected anonymity in an effort to inspire others to speak out against sexual abuse.
In addition to being Voronoff’s longest-lasting victim of abuse, Riye was also the oldest of the sisters and a close friend.
“So I revealed my statement two years ago. My daughter was around five at the time.
“I had this sense that there was this urgent need… I felt compelled to say something because, as I looked at her, I recognised the young girl who reflected the trauma and suffering I had endured in myself.
Ms. Arai-Coupe claimed that she had always taken great delight in being a powerful woman.
“Not being able to come forward and make a statement for years really ate up inside of me,” she said.
“At some point, knowing that he was there in the neighbourhood and not saying anything almost became an issue.
Even though Voronoff’s abuse took place 25 years ago, Ms. Arai-Coupe claimed that the ordeal still haunts her.
“Even as I sat there today, I could feel my heart pounding, and I could recall everything as if it had just happened.
When I’ve had vacations into the Sunshine Coast hinterland, there have been times when I’ve been afraid that I’ll run across him on the street.
“Despite being a lovely location, it is contaminated by a lot of unpleasant memories. It’s very depressing.
Ebony-Rose Greene, a survivor, testified in court about how difficult it was for her to deal with the aftereffects of the abuse. She said she experienced PTSD, sexual trauma, extreme depression, anxiety, and shame.
“I was a child when the abuse began — three and a half years old,” Ms. Greene recalled.
“My parents had recently divorced. [Voronoff] warned me not to tell anyone, especially my mother, about their breakup since it was my responsibility.
The accused allegedly often abused the victims at bedtime or when the girls’ mother was absent, according to evidence presented in court.
When the women, who were by this point in their 30s, reported the occurrences to the police in 2021, the culprit was quickly apprehended and charged.
District Court Judge Ian Dearden explained to Voronoff during the sentencing process how he had seen thousands of incidents of child sexual abuse over his legal career, and how they were always traumatic for the victims.
Every child fundamentally has the right to autonomy and the freedom to express their sexuality in their own way, according to Judge Dearden.
The accused was instructed by Judge Dearden to use his incarceration to consider the effects of his actions.
Crown Prosecutor Michael Andronicus characterised the defendant as “persistent” and “predatory” during the hearing.
Early in 2026, Voronoff will be able to submit a parole application.
