I knew it was wrong: Derryn Hinch reveals childhood trauma

Derryn Hinch has revealed his trauma of the night a family friend molested him.

Appearing on Julia Zemiro’s show Home Delivery, the 73-year-old gives explicit details of the event that happened when he was nine-years-old.

“I knew it was wrong’, Derryn told Julia.

“I climbed back into bed, petrified.”

The incident occurred around 1953, while Derryn was growing up in New Zealand.

Following the tradition of the show, the episode is filmed there, taking Derryn back to the home he hadn’t returned to for about 50 years.

Recalling the terrible event, Derry said his brother, who was sharing the same room, had stirred in his bed and frightened the man off.

When his brother asked what had happened, Derryn didn’t say much, but he still went and told their parents the visitor had done something to Derryn.

Years later, he asked his parents why they never told the police or sought further action against the man.

They told him they didn’t want to cause their son further distress — but Derryn says he worried the man had likely gone on to attack more children.

During the show he also talks about his grandmother who had early dementia, and members of the family who battled alcohol. 

Derryn was elected to the Senate representing Victoria in 2016, and is the oldest federal parliamentarian to ever be elected.

Prior to that he was a radio show host, journalist, newspaper editor, television show host and a novelist.

Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery is now in its fifth series.

She travels around Australia to take some of her favourite people down memory lane.

The episode can be watched on iView but will also be repeated on ABC this Sunday, March 19 at 6pm.

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