She said evil nun teachers in school institutions could be as bad as the sick priests who targeted boys.
The woman, who was aged just six years old at the time of the alleged abuse, said: “It started when a nun put her hand up my gymslip.
“I tried to tell my teacher. She shouted that I was a horrible little girl and I was slapped. I told my mum, who was deeply religious. She blessed me with holy water.”
The grandmother wants others to speak up and added: “I certainly don’t want my grandchildren to ever feel how I feel decades later.
“I don’t want any child to be hurt again.”
The Scoping Inquiry report on historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders was published on September 1.
The majority of the abuse allegations against 884 alleged abusers at 308 religious orders’ schools came from males abused as children by priests.
But the Scoping Inquiry report lists 40 entries of religious orders where nuns taught in girls’ schools.
Those 40 entries concern 172 allegations against 134 alleged abusers at 63 schools run by 16 religious orders of nuns.
The woman told the Irish Mirror: “It was the mid-1970s and I still remember the names. I was extremely shy and not very confident and came to the attention of one of the nuns.
“At lunch times in the yard, she often took pity on me and she used to take me by the hand while walking around the yard. She always had a small spearmint toffee bar in her pocket for me. I felt special, it was our little secret. Nothing inappropriate occurred for the next year or so.
“One day, during lunchtime, she remembered that she had left my bar back in her office. So we both went to get it.” She added: “As she handed the bar to me, she slipped her other hand up my gymslip. I was so confused and upset and she eventually told me to return to my classroom.
“My teacher smiled and asked me if I was OK. I tried to tell her what had happened, but she shouted that I was a horrible little girl.
“She asked for my hands and I was slapped. On both hands with her wooden ruler. I don’t believe I cried.
“After school I tried to explain to my mum what had happened. My mum snapped and told me never to talk like that again. She was deeply religious.
“She blessed herself and me with holy water. The abuse continued and although I didn’t like it, I believed I had to let it happen.”
The woman went on: “Following my Communion, everything seemed fine for a while – until I was being taught how to knit. I just couldn’t get the hang of it so I was sent to another nun so she could teach me.
“I remember sitting opposite her and she shouted at me to close my legs or the devil would climb up them. Eventually, she started abusing me. She said the other nun had told her I was a very good girl.
“I told her I didn’t like it - but she continued abusing me.” She added: “I hated myself. I became really introverted and I was a very unhappy little girl.
“I remember starting little fires at home. One day at confession, I told the priest I wanted the nuns to leave me alone.
“He didn’t ask what I meant. I was told to say a few Hail Marys. The abuse stopped after that. When hearing about clerical abuse on TV etc it was always to do with boys.
“I felt like I was a freak and that there was something wrong with me. I felt it was just me on my own, the only girl.
“When the list of schools with suspected abuse was published, I wanted to know if it happened to other girls. To this day, I still live with so much shame. I haven’t heard about anyone else, but I do suspect there were others. The religious order school of the woman, who spoke to us, was not named as one of the 308 on the Scoping Inquiry’s list.
Former Dublin archbishop Diarmuid Martin, 79, claimed after the publication, numbers in the report underrepresent the true scale of the horror. Some 2,395 sex abuse allegations against 884 alleged abusers at 308 religious orders’ schools were detailed.
Gardai, who are investigating if paedophile rings organised the sex abuse, have also urged more people to come forward.