Appearing under an assumed name at the Commission of Inquiry hearings into institutional responses to child sexual abuse on Monday, Erin shared her horrific story.

She said she was arrested by police when she was 14 for stealing a packet of corn chips to feed herself for dinner while she stayed at a Hobart women's shelter.

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Erin said she had been forced out of home by her mother and when her father was contacted by police to collect her after her arrest, he told them to keep her.

She was held at the Hobart Reception Prison for some time before she was transferred to Ashley, still on remand for a three-month period.

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"I thought Ashley would be better, but it was worse," Erin said.

She was the only female detainee at the centre while she was held there.

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Erin said she once complained about severe stomach pains, and fearing she might have appendicitis, she requested medical attention.

Instead, she said a male guard felt around her exposed lower abdomen area with his hand and drew a jelly bean near her appendix, indicating it was healthy.

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She disclosed to a female staff member that she felt as if she had been assaulted.

The staff member told her if she had a complaint, she would need to write to the Tasmanian Ombudsman, which she did.

Erin said the guard was stood down on full pay for two weeks, but allowed to return to work.

She said after the complaint, the guards at the facility turned on her.

"I'd describe the staff that work at Ashley as a pack of animals," Erin said.

"They all look after each other."

Erin said over the three months, she was left in a room with 10 boys with no supervision.

She said she was sexually assaulted and received no medical attention or counselling after the assault.

Erin said she was returned to Ashley for stealing clothes within a month of her release, again on remand.

She said the main perpetrator in her previous sexual assault had been transferred to Ridson Prison, and as a result, was threatened with violence by fellow detainees.

Erin said she was often left unsupervised with male detainees and had to be put on a contraceptive pill.

She said she complied with sexual activity to avoid violence or retribution.

Erin said guards turned a blind eye to it all.

She said she was subjected to strip searches often with no apparent reason.

"Guards constantly made comments about my body and my breasts," she said.

"I felt like an object.

"It was like a show for them."

Erin said repeated requests for a bra were ignored and she was given an insufficient amount of female sanitary products.

"There was no dignity; it was disgusting," she said.

Erin said her experiences in Ashley sent her on a downward spiral of substance abuse while on the outside, with drugs and alcohol used to black out the memories.

Now a mother, she said she struggled to form relationships with people and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

Erin said there should have been more female officers at the facility, better training for its staff, and no mixing of female and male detainees.

"What happened to me could have been 100 per cent prevented," she said.

"Children shouldn't be sent to Ashley for minor offences.

"I was there for stealing a bag of Doritos."

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