Not what I said at all. Merely that cases of historic abuse have shown that one can’t rely on third party accounts. Not for a millisecond do I think this applies to your family but too many times parents saying “I would have known, they tell me everything, etc” have been shown to be wrong. So best to discount the lot.
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I survived 9 years of boarding with no major problems. Generally I had a great time. I did get three strokes from the headmaster once - but swimming in the school pool at 1am probably justified it!!
I think that the vast majority of schools were fine. Unfortunately a few bad apples. Asking friends, having seen similar articles, the problems sadly seemed more prevalent at catholic schools.
Much the same as my experience though due to the college I was due to go to after which only took 16 year olds, I did not have as long as you.
But your punishment, like mine for using the school sledge, probably came under the heading of disobedience. However, as I had been clothed thickly for winter frolics, I did not feel the cane at all and only knew it was over when he walked back to his side of the desk. 
I think there a Brit prisoner held in Iran’s notorious Evin prison in the early 2000s who said he put his survival down to having been at boarding school in the UK. He drew strong similarities in the strict routines, institutional cultures and being constantly monitored in both boarding schools and the Iranian prison.
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I did not suffer sexual orphysical abuse at boarding school but from the age 8 to 12 I was bullied. A mistress at the school wrote to my mother, and at the risk of dismissal begged her to remove me. I don’t think one ever truly gets over this sort of experience.
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I can imagine how isolating bullying must be in an enclosed community. I faced some criticism because I supported boys who were bullied, but always managed to ignore it because I had good friends who refused to join in.
There’s a very funny “Ripping Yarns” episode set at a public school. “Tomkinson’s Schooldays”