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Victims speak out about the consequences of uncovering historical child sexual abuse

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Victims speak out about the consequences of uncovering historical child sexual abuse

This week we are supporting a new national campaign to encourage victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation to seek support.

The When You’re Ready program was launched by the National Child Sexual Exploitation Task Force and was fully informed by people with lived experience to ensure victims and survivors felt seen and heard and had the opportunity to tell someone if they were ready. do.

In support of this campaign, we are sharing the story of two survivors, Kevin and Liz. Liz has previously bravely spoken out about her experiences of childhood sexual abuse, reporting it to police in 2020, some 50 years after the abuse she suffered at the hands of her brother. Liz said: “I waited 50 years to tell my story because I didn’t think anyone would be interested in what happened. This is clearly not true, and I wish I had reported it sooner.”

However, for Kevin, this was the first time he had spoken publicly about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child. Kevin was sexually abused at the age of 7 when his parents brought a lodger into their family home. For years, he lived in fear of speaking out, ashamed of how it might make his family feel. In 2017, aged 57, he finally reported it to Avon and Somerset Police after seeking support from Survivor’s UK and an Independent Sexual Assault Advisor (ISVA).

In this powerful video, Liz talks to Kevin about her experience of reporting abuse and asks why he decided to speak out now.

Kevin said: “I think it’s important to really start talking about it and demystifying the secrecy around it. It is a crime that depends on secrecy to allow a person to get away with it and live their life for 50 years without being punished.”

Superintendent Ed Yaxley, head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offenses Unit, said:

“Talking about your experiences is incredibly powerful; By doing this, Kevin and Liz will help countless others cope with their own experiences. Whether they choose to report it or not, they will know that they are not alone.

“We want people to know that no matter when the abuse happened, if you report it to us, you will be believed and supported. We are committed to doing everything we can to achieve the best outcome, whether that means conducting an investigation or directing safety and support services to help them recover and live with the trauma they have experienced.”

By sharing their personal experiences of what it was like to reveal the abuse and the impact it had on them, Kevin and Liz show other survivors that they are not alone and that there is hope.

It’s never too late to report a crime. If you are a victim of sexual assault, recent or recent, you don’t even have to go to the police. Find out more about what support is available to you on the When You’re Ready website here: When You’re Ready