Brianna* was shocked to find out about her husband's child porn problem. Photo / Getty
She had married her dream man and had the world at her feet.
A cosy apartment, satisfying job and a bright future.
Brianna's* life was running smoothly - that's until she returned home from a night out with her husband.
Hand in hand, the pair walked through their apartment door. But it was the moment her world fell apart.
Opening the door Brianna was greeted by the Federal Police raiding their home.
Talking to Whimm, she said her world crumbled.
"A laptop was open on the coffee table and the pictures on it are things I will never un-see. My husband had been looking at photos and videos of children being abused. The man I thought I knew, loved, was addicted to child pornography."
"The families associated with the man are stigmatised.
"It's such a dirty crime and even though you had no knowledge and you're not in the wrong there's still a sense of shame. I'm a teacher and I felt I couldn't tell work why I needed time off. I felt so dirty myself."
Brianna had been with her husband for nine years - but her love instantly died the moment she laid eyes on the horrific images found on his laptop.
The school teacher revealed she hasn't seen her former husband since the day their lives unravelled forever.
"There were about 20 minutes from the time we arrived home to when he was taken by the police and since then I've never see him again," Brianna says. "I didn't go to his trial. I wanted nothing more to do with him.
"I only told a few friends and our families. It was a huge shock to everyone. He'd been exceptionally clever to hide it. I'm a teacher who's been trained to look out for and recognise these people and even I never suspected him."
Brianna explained she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and went from being a highly social person to someone who'd hardly talk.
It took her seven years before she touched another man and she is currently single.
She says she now has trust issues and constantly questions her judgment.
Brianna's message is one of support for the women suffering. "The guys viewing this stuff aren't all seedy types living in their mother's basement. My husband had a high profile job and most have families. We aren't victims like the child is but we do become collateral damage and we must educate society so people have the understanding and compassion we need."
Brianna's husband was jailed as part of operation Centurion, which saw 70 people arrested on child pornography charges in 2008.
*Names have been changed.
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