A Dorchester man has been found guilty of 11 separate charges yesterday for repeatedly raping two young family friends over a period of years, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury yesterday convicted KENNETH WARD (D.O.B. 3/8/68) of five counts of rape of a child and six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child for sexual assaults on the two girls when the younger of them was just seven years old. Both victims came forward two years ago, Conley said.

“The crimes here were despicable,” Conley said. “The clinical language of a criminal statute just doesn’t impart the horror of what these children endured. These girls showed tremendous courage in breaking the silence, disclosing the abuse, and in the end protecting other children from this predator.”

Both victims testified at trial, revealing the years of sexual abuse they suffered at the defendant’s hands. Additional testimony elicited by Assistant District Attorney Leora Joseph proved that Ward, who was romantically involved with a relative of the girls, forced himself on both children repeatedly at that relative’s Dorchester home. The abuse began in 1992 and continued for almost 10 years when they were between the ages of 7 and 13 years old.

One of the victims disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult in the summer of 2010. In the aftermath of that disclosure, she and the second victim decided to come forward to authorities and report the abuse. Conley’s office indicted Ward later that fall.

Ward’s trial lasted about a week, with jurors deliberating for about a day and a half before convicting him on all charges. He faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced next month.

Sexual assault can happen to any person of any age. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, the survivors of sexual violence in Suffolk County can also call the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical advocacy, legal services, counseling, and other services to victims of rape and sexual assault.

Kathryn DiPerna was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Ward was represented by attorney David Grimaldi.